When the Earth is Gone
by Catrina
Summary: When the Earth falls apart, and the King is dead, the Queen is injured, where can you run? And after so many years, can those allies even be alive to help? This is a Starlight story, taking place in the future. UsagiSeiya, MinakoYaten, and AmiTaiki
1. Chapter 1

When the Earth is Gone

By Catrina

Disclaimer: I own no part of these characters

A/N: Yes, this is another Starlight story, which means that Mamo-chan and Serenity are not together. Also note I do not have a beta for my stories, so I am sorry for any grammer and spelling mistakes, I can only read the story so many times before it all blurs together.

The pairings are the canon Starlight couples, Usagi and Seiya, Minako and Yaten, and Ami and Taiki. Hope that you all like. As always please let me know what you think and enjoy.

00-00-00-00

All the scouts knew that the earth was slowly dying. And Mamoru was slowly dying with it. Both facts created a sinking in their hearts that they couldn't begin to explain. They watched as the grass disappeared and the sky lost its bright blue color. Usagi looked out to the moon. Right now, the Outer scouts were with Mercury building an artificial Earth just like the one Moon Kingdom before it, and she would rule alone, just like her mother. Her Mamo-chan was dying slowly, and while she truly tried to be optimistic things, certain things couldn't be denied. One being Mamo-chan was dying. They all could see it and he was now living off the drugs that Mercury had given him. They were no longer sure how the earth was even holding on, when its guardian was barely alive. Jupiter, Venus, and Mars were with her, but Mercury would be back soon. They had to evacuate all the people, get them to the moon. Mercury and Venus had come up with a rotating plan that would get all the people up there in around a day, but the problem, was what to do with them when they all got up there. Right now the outers were working on non-permanent barracks that the people could live in. But the hard part was coming up for her. She still had to tell all her subjects tomorrow that the Earth was going to die and that they were moving, to the moon, which to her still seemed almost implausible. .

"Your Majesty!" A man rushed through the doors of the observatory. The man stood at attention, with his head respectively bowed to her. She often wondered if any of the staff had ever really seen her face.

"Yes." She turned to look at him pasting a fake smile on her pale face.

"Sailor Mercury is on vid-link one." He told her still not looking up at her.

"Thank you." he turned and left. She walked to the vid-link and opened the channel. Mercury's face was smiling on the screen waiting patently.

"Hello Usagi-chan." She said greeting her friend.

"Ami-chan." She said smiling an actually smile. "How are things?" She asked not sure that she really wanted to know.

"All is well. We are now growing plants and breathing actual oxygen. We need more builders ASAP. Can you send them up today and then working with the extra crew we would be ready by tomorrow? The plants up here are doing well too. We have plenty of food and there are houses going up for the people."

"I will get the builders assembled right away. So then it is your opinion that we bring them up tomorrow?"

"Thank you, and yes, tomorrow. Usagi," she said turning serious, "I will be back tomorrow. You wouldn't believe how the Earth looks from here. It looks so dark and cold."

"I know you can feel it down here." She told her, her own heart sinking.

"And how is Mamoru-san?" Ami asked concerned more for her friend that the man himself. Mamo-chan had come to terms with his fate a while ago.

"As well as can be expected. Why, Why must the earth die now?" Usagi asked.

"It has lived for millions of years; we can only ask so much." Ami pointed out.

"Thanks for the report Ami-chan; I will see you tomorrow, right?

"Yes at 10:00. I will stand with you at the announcement." She said signing off.

"Great, tomorrow then," Usagi said as she turned off the link. "Tomorrow," she said as she went to sleep by her dying love.

00-00-00-00

She could feel it something was going to go wrong today. Rei walked down the hall to the briefing room. Her heels made clicks steadily on the floor. She left early this morning; she was taking the builders up in two hours. Hopefully, 50 crews rotating shifts would work for the outers, who were in charge right now. Jupiter would take the next fight after that with all the food and supplies with the first settlers. The elderly would start, then whoever. Rei walked into the room and looked to the others already there.

"Time to do this." Venus said. She was nervous, her Venus sign was shining. When they became eternal Senshi they lost their tiara and their planet sign took that place, plus they now had wings. They each looked like Eternal Sailor Moon in their respectful colors.

"Yes, the others are coming down to take up four shuttles today plus the ones Makoto and I are taking."

"Good," Usagi smiled, even though her subjects knew her as Serenity, her friends knew her as Usagi. "That takes out most all the population."

"Actually Usagi-chan, that leaves just some of the palace crew, you, Venus, Mamoru and me." Ami told her.

"Okay, Usagi, tell them that the only need to take things of sentimental value. All the thing that are essentials are already there, the rest can wait." Venus told her.

"Come on, let's go." Jupiter said, leading the out the door.

Serenity looked over the people they were calm, probably expecting her to tell them good things. Well she was about to burst some bubbles.

00-00-00-00

All the shuttles were filled in five hours. The speech was met with instant panic and chaos. All the people ran for the cover of the shuttles after packing things and arranging to have things shipped up to the moon. Usagi walked down the hall. She had just found out that all the scouts had taken off with success. That was when she first felt it, but it was too soon. A rumble went through the Earth, shaking everything trembling to the core. She ran to her room to check on Mamo-chan. She ran in to find him barely breathing.

"Usako?"

"Yes, love, I am here." She kneeled beside the bed and latched on to his hand.

"This is it." He said opening his eyes.

"What do you mean, love?" He could hear that panic in her voice.

"The Earth is dead now, like me." He told her trying to keep from coughing.

"What?" She asked horrified.

"I love you Usako, please be happy in your life without me."

"I can't be happy without you." She said as her tears started to roll. Venus her heard anguished scream throughout the whole palace and ran to her ignoring the shouts and protest of the people around her. She came flying through the door to see her queen holding her dead husband crying.

"Oh, Usagi." She started to cry as she went to her.

"Minako, help me, we have to get him to the shuttle."

"Okay." She helped to lift his body. They carried him to the shuttle and lay him on one of the beds. Usagi ran from the shuttle screaming, "Luna, LUNA!" The cats came running Artemis was carrying Diana in his mouth

"Where is Mercury?" Venus asked. Another quake had just hit. It was too soon, they hadn't been ready yet, for if the earth was coming apart, they couldn't come back to get what they left behind. But at least they were alive. The palace crew had already been sent up, but there was still, Venus, Mercury, the queen, king and their cats. The quakes were getting worse and worse. The Earth was coming apart in a matter of seconds; it had only been ten minutes since the first quake had hit. This one has caused part of the roof to fall in the shuttle bay. The whole world was being torn apart piece by piece. Another quake hit.

"I will go find her." Usagi said.

"But Queen." Venus said stopping her.

"Hey, I don't know how to start the shuttle. And we have to be ready to leave." She smiled and went after Ami. She then saw her. She was holding all the disks to on the programs that ran the palace. Programs she had worked on for years to get the palace the way it was. Then it seemed to happen in slow motion. Venus looked out the window on the shuttle to see just as another quake to hit and cause the roof to finally fall in. A silent scream rose in her throat as she saw the piece of falling roof hit her two friends. She ran out not caring about her own condition. She could hardly steady herself, the quakes were almost constant. They all knew the earth would fall apart, but she had no idea that it would happen this quickly in only a matter of minutes.

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!" she yelled. The piece of roof was demolished and she dragged her friends on to the shuttle, one by one. It took three times to get air born and finally she got taken off. She looked behind her to see the palace demolished not to mention everything else. She flew out of the range of Earth and put in a call to the moon.

"Uranus!" She called as the dirty blond's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Venus." She said surprisingly calm considering that she had just watched the word fall apart.

"Uranus. Mamoru is dead. Everyone is off, but Mercury and the Queen are both injured. We have no medical set up on the moon. I am going to take them to the nearest friendliest place."

"You can NOT mean what I think you mean."

"Yes."

"VENUS! We just found out recently where they came from."

"Uranus, I don't have a choice."

"Venus listen. Not all scouts are eternal like us."

"I know, but I don't have anywhere else to go. Usagi still had us partially isolated. There is no where else!"

"I don't like this." Uranus said looking down at the floor.

"I know. Uranus look at me. In my absence, I appoint you as leader until my return."

"Venus, I am honored." She said truly, they had all been amazed when she had been chosen as leader, but then they were all surprised about how seriously she took it.

"People respect you, like it or not. I must go." Venus said honestly.

"Okay, try to keep in touch." Uranus said, "I can only do this for so long."

"I will, and you'll do fine." She had a four-day trip to Kinmoku with no food, which hadn't been packed yet, and the water had leaked out when hit by a chunk of the castle. After making Usagi and Ami comfortable she put Mamoru in an airtight chamber. Then sat back and enjoyed the ride, through very unfamiliar territory.

00-00-00-00

Taiki was on patrol today. Not that it was hard. All you did was sit in a room watching the radar screen, nothing really ever happened. It was always a thinking time for Taiki. He would just let his mind drift wherever it would go. Most of the time his thoughts were full of his time on Earth. They had remade their planet to look al lot like it. It had been wonderfully beautiful there and even though it had been 100 years, he never thought it was strange to think of it. He remembered when they had all come back, they had all been testy and the princess had never been sure what to do. She had always had feelings toward Fighter, but the minute she saw how in love he was with someone else, she could never feel the same way. They had all found it strange. He missed being called Taiki-san, now he was always called Maker even if he was in his male form like he was now. They all like being in their male forms, it had used to be hard to even get them to consider it but now, it was a connection, to the ones that knew them best that way, the Senshi of Earth that had died long ago. He wished he could have gone to the funeral. He could never deny it like Yaten had. Taiki knew that he had had a connection to Ami, and it was more that just they were at the same intelligence level. It was deeper and purer than that. Yaten just ignore that face that he had always felt drawn to one of the Senshi. He and Seiya knew that it was Minako. Speaking of Yaten, he was to relieve him for the night shift. The princess thought that if an enemy heard an actually Senshi give a warning they would run, and she was right. They had yet one person to break though. About three hours on to his shift he saw a blip on the radar screen. He turned on the voice log and started to speak.

"Identify yourself."

"You first," came a voice over the line. It sounded strangely familiar.

"I am Sailor Star Maker of the Sailor Starlights." He announced, mad that this person had interrupted his thoughts.

"Taiki-san?" The voice asked questioningly.

"Identify yourself now!" Surprised by hearing his Earth name

"This is Eternal Sailor Venus, from the planet of Earth. I am in need of assistance."

"I want a picture on my vid-screen now." He knew that the earth Senshi could not still be alive. It had been to long of time almost 100 years, and the Earth Senshi were not eternal, not like them right? The screen blinked on and Taiki looked on in amazement. On the screen was a tired looking blond with big blue eyes and a Venus sign, and were those wings?

"Minako-chan?"

"Hello Taiki-san. I need help. My Queen is injured along with Sailor Mercury, I need medical help now."

"Go to docking point B and land, okay, someone will meet you there." He called up Seiya and told him to go to docking bay.

00-00-00-00

Seiya stood and watched as the shuttle landed. It was a little beat up and looked like it was about to die. The walkway came down as he walked toward it. A blond came walking into his sight. He was to far away to see anything yet, but as she got closer she started to look familiar.

"Minako-chan?" She looked to him and smiled

"Seiya-kun," she looked a little surprised, and then spoke again. "You have to help me. I did the best I could but they need medical attention now."

"Who?" He asked getting over his surprise.

"My Queen and Ami." She ran back in and grabbed the rolling table that Ami was on. Seiya followed and grabbed the other table, yelling for a medic. He looked down and shock came in full force. His Odango was there, right there in front of him. She was bruised and a little bloody, but she was there. Before he had time to do anything, the medics where there grabbing Usagi, Ami, and Minako was following.

00-00-00-00

The princess sat around at her table with three very nervous Senshi when the doctor finally came in. He looked to all of them through beady eyes and horn-rimmed glasses.

"The one called Venus only has exhaustion and dehydration, with a little starvation. Mercury, is a little worse, she has three broken ribs, a punctured lung already taken care of, and has a little bump on her head that will have her out for a while yet. The last one has a broken arm and minor swelling in the brain, which has already been taken care of. All are lucky that we have so much technology on our planet, it is what saved them." All four breathed a sigh of relief. "They are resting right now, but you are welcome to go and see them."

"Is Venus awake?" The Princess asked standing up.

"Yes, but not for too much longer. The nurses can't settle her down so they will give her a drug after her exam, so you might want to hurry, your highness."

"I shall, thank you." She walked out the door flagged by her Senshi, off to see the only awake scout.

00-00-00-00

Minako stared out the window. It looked like Earth, but she knew it wasn't, earth was gone. Tears started to form, but she held them back. She was a failure. She didn't protect her queen and king, Mercury was hurt because of her, and all she had done was run to another planet and pour her problems on them. She was a failure. Her eyes were starting to grow heavy; they had given her a strong drug. She looked over as she saw Princess Kakyuu walk through the door; her Starlights flagged her.

"Hello, Venus." The princess said with a gentle smile.

"Princess," she bowed her head. The four of them looked at her. She was pale and tired and her blue eyes no longer held the innocence that they remembered.

"You remember the Starlights, Venus?"

"Yes. Thank you for your hospitality and your help. When can I see the Queen and Mercury?"

"Later after you sleep."

"I want to see them."

"You can't right now." Maker said in a firm voice. She looked up at her and glared. She never used to look like that when she first knew her; Minako was always smiling and happy.

"Venus, tell us what happened?" Healer asked. She too was observing the changes. Her hair was smoother, calmer. Her eyes were still large and blue but not the same innocence. Her face wasn't as 'chubby', it was thinner, elegant.

"I have failed." She said as she hung her head in shame. "My king is dead, my planet destroyed, and my Queen is injured."

"We understand," Fighter told her, knowing exactly how she felt, "But what happened?"

"About ten months ago," she began her story, after calming down a little bit. "We discovered that Mamoru-san wasn't feeling well. He went to Mercury who could find nothing wrong with him. It was Saturn who found out. She could feel the planet dying. We tried to think of a way to save it but we didn't have enough time so Mercury went to the moon. She discovered that it could hold life. She worked a miracle and found a way to make real oxygen up there. Then millions of builders went up. We had everything up there, houses, shop, everything was made an almost exact replica of earth, except for the castle and a few other buildings, and we even had minerals like gold and silver. Everything was almost set. Then Serenity made the announcement. There was panic and chaos. The shuttles were filled and sent to the Moon. All that went okay, but right as soon as Mercury and I split up the quakes came. I heard a scream and rushed to Serenity's bedroom. Mamoru-san was dead. We carried him to the shuttle, but then we couldn't find the cats, or Mercury. Oh, my God. The cats…"

"We found them, they are fine." Taiki reassured her.

"Continue." The princess ordered.

"Okay, Where was I?" Minako asked.

"Mercury…"

"And the cats…"

"Oh, Yeah," She said with a smile. Then again grew serious. "Once on the shuttle. I wanted to go get Mercury, by this time the quakes were coming harder and faster than before. Serenity didn't know how to start the shuttle so she went to get Mercury while I started the shuttle. Then I looked out the shuttle, to see them under part the shuttle bay roof. I got them… out then I… came here." The drug was kicking in. She could hardly keep her eyes open.

"Thank you, Venus." The princess turned to leave, by that time Venus was asleep. She looked over to see Healer, still there staring at her. She had always wondered why they had changed so much after Earth and judging by Yaten's reaction to this girl, he had obviously felt something for her. "It is late, let us go rest. We can see them in the morning."

00-00-00-00

Ami slowly opened up her blue eyes to a strange place. She looked around the room, looking for anything familiar. Nothing. Around her were computers and blinking lights_. A hospital, I think. _She pulled back the sheets; someone had changed her into a cotton-like nightgown. She sat up, putting her feet on the cold ground. She stood slowly holding on to the rail of the bed. She slowly walked along the pale walls to the door on the other side of the room. Pushing her blue hair out of her eyes, she pulled open the door to look into an empty hall. Finding her legs stronger, she walked out the door and down the hall. She heard distant voices and decided that since they would lead to someone, decided to follow.

00-00-00-00

Taiki walked down the hall to where he was meeting the others and the princess. His walking slowed as he thought about last night. First hearing that earth was destroyed and then going to go see her, Mizuno Ami, Sailor Mercury. Even on Earth he had had a fascination with her. Her beliefs, her strength, and then why she had died for him that day. Then he had snapped back to the present and just stared in disbelief at what had lain before him. Her radiant eyes hidden by pale eyelids her bright smiling face, pale and no longer smiling. He touched a pale hand that and had been shocked by how cold it had been. At first he feared her dead but the stead rise and fall of her chest had calmed him. He had then brushed her hair away from her eyes and wishing they would open so that he could tell her that she had been missed. Years ago, they had left Earth leaving their hearts behind, yet they lived on without the ones they loved, knowing that they would die, but low and behold, they were eternal just like them. Taiki snapped back to the present and began to walk a little faster. He had feared that if he were to ever see Mizuno Ami again she would be dead or old, but she was neither.

He continued down the hall, taking a left, this was when something came into his line of sight, a blue-haired angel wearing the fashionable white hospital gown. He smiled; he should have known that as soon as she would wake up she would be curious about her surroundings. He walked up behind her as he saw her peak around a corner, and then cleared his throat.

"May I help you?" He asked and had to hold back a smile as she jumped about two feet off the floor. He watched her blue hair twirl around her face as she turned. He looked deep into blue eyes that he had missed so much, the book she gave him, and the test score sheet that he had was nothing to remember her by, not compared to this.

00-00-00-00

"May I help you?" She jumped startled by the voice of the person she didn't know was there. She knew that voice. That voice had been cold, mean, surprised, and cherished. She turned slowly. Shock came first, as she looked into his purple eyes, then amazement.

"Taiki-san?" With his nod, she smiled a huge grin. "I am so glad to see you again." She told him as she did something against her character. She launched herself at him and gave him a big hug. She wrapped her arms around him and smiled. "I thought you would be dead by now?"

Taiki stood in shock as his little angel wrapped her arms around him. He had never held her before, ever. He inhaled her scent and wrapped his arms around her. "No," He told her, "not dead yet." She pulled back with a crimson blush spreading across her cheeks.

"I'm sorry..."

"It is all right, I missed you too." She looked up from under her lashes to smile at him, but she was still blushing. "So, how are you feeling?"

"I am feeling all right. A little weak, but otherwise, I am feeling great. When can I see Venus?"

"I don't know if she is awake yet."

"Are we on Kinkmoku?"

"Yes."

"Earth is gone then?" Tears began to fill her eyes as she looked up to him, knowing the truth but not wanting to believe it.

"According to Venus."

"I must see her. Please, Taiki-san?" He looked into her blue eyes slowly filling with tears and he knew that he could deny her nothing.

"I must go to a short meeting, join me and then afterwards, I shall take you to her." She smiled at him than took his out-stretched hand and walked with him to the meeting.

00-00-00-00

Venus woke up groggy and unhappy. She couldn't believe that they drugged her. A very strong drug too. She looked around her; the last thing that she remembered was talking to the others last night. Then she smiled. The lights were alive. Her Yaten had yet to leave her. Wait, when did she start think of him as hers? True she often thought of him, but never has hers; he was probably married with kids by now. She looked around her, still in the hospital, she thought to herself. She turned her head as a nurse came through the door. She smiled at the nurse.

"Hello, do you have something that I can use to communicate with my homeworld?" The nurse smile back telling her that she would be right back, when she came back she had a vid screen that she could use. "Thank you." she told the nurse smiling again. She programmed the frequency to the moon and after many tries selected the right one, and then she waited for an answer.

"This is Sailor Neptune, How can I help you?"

"Hi Neptune, may I speak to Uranus please?"

"Sure, but I don't think that you really want to."

"Why?" Neptune smiled mysteriously before she answered.

"Being leader is frustrating her. I'm sure she has a whole new respect for you Venus." She said as she started to laugh hearing Uranus yelling in the background. "Let me get her."

Venus smiled as a frustrated Uranus came on the screen. "When are you coming back?" She asked and Venus just laughed, the cheerful sound echoing through her room and down the hall.

00-00-00-00

The meeting was short and to the point. When the earth scouts were to head to the Moon the Starlights were going with them, by Royal demand. Ami hadn't heard because she had been playing and exploring with their computers, she had tuned everything out. They had nine senshi, why did they need three more?

"Taiki-san, May I see Venus now?" She was kind of distressed; all she could remember form the meeting is that they would leave as soon as the queen woke up. She should have paid attention to the meeting instead of the fascinating computer.

"Yes, we are all going to see her." Yaten answered.

"How is My Queen?"

"She is okay, the surgery and everything went well, all we are doing is waiting for her to wake up, but it may be a while."

"May I see her also, after I see Venus?"

"Sure."

They walked down the hall in a heavy silence. No one really knowing what to say, as they neared the hospital room where Venus was they heard her laughter ringing out. They walked in to see her talking with Uranus on a vid screen. She seemed to be giving her instructions. The lights looked to Ami with confusion written in their faces. Ami smiled as she started to explain.

"You see, in our past lives on the Moon, Venus was our leader, and as our memories serve she was a very good one, nothing came before our princess. When we became eternal, we were all granted greater power by the Moon Goddess, Selene, but she was also granted her the leadership which had been hers on the Moon, Rei didn't like it at all, but Selene gave her the power and it turned out very nicely. She works harder than a lot of us; nothing comes before the Queen or the King, when he was alive. Selene made a very good choice; the only problem is that she works too hard sometimes. If you would not have drugged her, like you said, she would have never slept, and look the first thing she did was call her appointed leader." The starlight, a little amazed by the story were shocked by her last words. Minako then looked up to see them all standing in the doorway. She smiled then wrapped up her conversation and told her good-bye and to be nice. She then stood and smiled as one of the nurses gave her a dirty look.

"Ami, I am so glad that you are okay." She rushed to her friend to hug her.

"Just a little pain in the ribs, that all. I am amazed by their technology." She said, hugging her back. Venus pulled from the hug to look at Seiya.

"We would like to see our Queen please." It was more of a demand then a question. The steel in her voice just begged him to try and stop her. With Ami's nod, they started down the hall. Seiya walked in front guiding them down the hall, he had went to see her many times, each time his eyes filled with tears, wondering if she would ever wake up. He got the door and then held it open for the two ladies. They walked in and looked to their queen. They bowed their heads momentarily then continued in. They stood by her side and looked at her. She looked pale, but other wise okay. Ami looked to Minako and asked in a whisper, "Are you thinking what I am?"

"She doesn't know that she is asleep."

"Or she doesn't want to wake up."

"Shall we call her?" Minako asked.

"We have no other choice."

"With only two it will take all our power."

"Guys will you excuse us with our queen?" They nodded they walked out the door. "Shall we?" Ami asked as she locked the door.

"Certainly."

"VENUS ETERNAL! MAKE UP!"

"MERCURY ETERNAL! MAKE UP!"

00-00-00-00

_Serenity walked down the hall of the castle to her balcony, the Earth was so beautiful, but the last five days, seemed different, wrong, almost. Mamo-chan walked up behind her hugging her waist._

"_What is wrong Usako?"_

"_Don't you feel it, Like this is wrong?"_

"_No, but why do you feel this way."_

"_I haven't seen any of the senshi in days or any other person, just you and me."_

"_I know and you are right Usako, you shouldn't be here, but I won't be with you when you go back."_

"_Go back?"_

"_Yes, they will come for you soon, but don't worry all will turn out okay. I will always be with you, in that little corner of you heart, that will always be mine. I may visit, but you will never know."_

"_Why not?' Serenity was starting to look scared._

"_Don't be scared, I know what is in store for you and though I didn't live forever, someone else will."_

00-00-00-00

Eternal Venus and Mercury each took one hand of their queen's hands and then closed their eyes.

"_Eternal powers, _

_Let us call_

_To our queen _

_Who we lost_

_Find her pure soul _

_And bring it back_

_From the land_

_Where it is lost." _

They continued the chant until they fell unconscious.

00-00-00-00

They lights were waiting patently outside the door when they heard them call for their powers. They looked to each other in horror as they rushed though the door only finding it locked. After the got through the door what they saw brought them to a dead stop. Both Venus and Mercury were chanting holding on their Queen, their wings had wrapped around them somewhat and their signs were glowing. Then they crumpled to the floor. Taiki and Yaten ran forward to catch them, both succeeding, while Seiya stated in awe. Did hear them right, they were going to find the queen's lost soul. Now what the hell did that mean?

00-00-00-00

_Venus followed Mercury who was slowly guiding the way. The data coming in from her computer wasn't making a lot of sense._

"_Venus, I can't find her using technology."_

"_Well, I can't go on much longer, the two of us were too weak to try this we could die if we aren't careful." They walked through a shifting heavy fog, it shifted around them as they slowly walked through it. It slowly started to take on a familiar shape._

"_We are starting to find her, the fog is taking shape." Mercury announced._

"_Oh, my! Is this the earth castle?"_

"_Yes, I guess her mind went to the last spot that she knew."_

"_Where would she be Mercury?"_

"_I don't know, what was her favorite spot?"_

"_THE BALCONY!" They yelled together as they started to run. _

"_Hey, Mercury, I can only hold on a few more minutes before I lose unconsciousness in the other world completely."_

"_Me too, so let's hurry then." She said as she took the lead._

00-00-00-00

"_Mamo-chan, I don't understand?" Serenity said as she stared into Mamoru's eyes._

"_I am not still alive." He told her bluntly._

"_But I can see you, touch you."_

"_My guiding planet has died. I can not live without it."_

"_Earth? We are standing on it now." She said confusion evident in her voice._

"_No, they will come soon. Come to me." Serenity walked to her husband with no question. "I love you, Usako, but this is good-bye. My power has been given to another, another to whom you are also destined to love."_

"_I don't understand." At that time two figures came through the balcony doors. Both were angels, but Usagi didn't welcome them now. _

"_My queen," Venus said bowing. "You must come with us."_

"_Where?" She asked tilting her head._

"_Back to the land of the living." Mercury told her as she stood from her bowing position. "Right now your soul is lost."_

"_My soul has been lost?"_

"_Yes, we have come to find it and guide it back." Venus told her smiling._

"_But Mamo-chan…"_

"_I can no longer be with you, but you must go." She ran back into his arms. "You will be fine with out me. Now go." He leaned down giving her a kiss that told her how much he loved her then pushed her to Venus and Mercury, "Take her or she will never leave." As they started to fade, she yelled his name and he blew her a kiss._

00-00-00-00

The lights stood in Usagi's hospital room, very confused. Taiki had set Mercury in a chair while Yaten still held the prone body of Venus. They had walked in after hearing the two girls transform only to have them fall to the ground in a strange state; they looked awake, but dead. Their eyes were open, but slowly drooping; as though they could no longer stay awake.

"NO! MAMO-CHAN!." The anguished cry filled the room and echoed down the halls as the bodies of the two scouts glowed their respective colors and the ribbons that had surrounded them to form their powers now unwound in a brilliant display of light and the two scout fell totally limp and into the darkness they had been holding off for their Queen.. "No," she yelled as she started to cry. She looked around her unseeing what was around her. She looked into a pair of brilliant blue eyes familiar, but not the ones she wanted. "Where is he? Where?" She asked as she tried to get out of the bed.

"Usagi, you must lay down."

"Seiya?"

"Yes."

"Is it true?" She asked her blue eyes looking into to his and he couldn't lie. He hung his head, as he knew that pain he was about to cause. Looking back into the anguished face he told her the truth.

"Yes." As she started to cry she wrapped her arms around him seeking comfort where she had found it so long ago.

00-00-00-00

Yaten stood blinking; the light around Minako had blinded him when she changed. Her body was now pale and cold, as she was held cradled in his arms. Her head was tilted back with her long silky hair, brushing the floor. He looked to Seiya who was holding the Usagi as she hysterically cried.

"SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

This seemed to gain everyone's attention. Usagi looked up at him surprised by his outburst.

"My soul was lost." She said sniffling as her tears continued to fall. "They found me." Taiki looked to her as he checked over Ami.

"Please explain."

"Well, Ami discovered that when some people go into a coma they go to what we call 'the land of the lost', we really don't know where it is." She stated as an after comment. "We discovered that with our powers, along with a really old spell book that we found on the moon, we could go into this land to find people. It usually takes at least five of us." She leaned away from Seiya still crying. "I was in the palace, with Mamo-chan. They came and brought me back." She looked at them and smiled a wet smile. "They will be out for a while." She looked to the door as all the doctors ran through with a worried princess. Usagi looked to her, "I want to see my husband."

00-00-00-00

She was too weak to walk so Seiya pushed her in a wheelchair. They walked trough the maze of halls silently. They came to a room with a stone door.

"He is inside." The red-haired princess told her. Usagi looked up and smiled.

"I want to see him." They went through the door slowly and stopped about two feet away from the clear airtight chamber that Venus had sealed him in.

"Minako-chan took care of him." She said as she stood. She took slow steps as she walked to him. She put her hand over the glass that held his body and ran her hand down it as though the glass wasn't there. Tears formed in her eyes and fell down her cheeks creating small puddles on the glass.

"Oh Mamo-chan, I love you so much. Why did you leave me? I need you, my love." She gazed lovingly at the familiar features. She stood over him staring at him. She turned to the others who were crying. "Leave me."

"Odango, please, don't do anything stupid." Seiya told her as he left along with his princess who turned to look back at her.

"He was not the only one, who loved and needed you, remember that." She said as she closed the door on her with her dead love.

00-00-00-00

Taiki sat beside the bed reading the only information that he could find on the Earth Moon. Ami truly worked a miracle by providing life on the moon. She still looked pale. That was such a stupid thing to do. He shook his head and laughed knowing that he would have done the same thing. She stirred a little in her sleep, murmuring incoherent words. She had looked so amazing transformed as Eternal Sailor Mercury. They were truly powerful. He stood as her eyes started to flutter open. The first thing that Ami saw when she woke was disapproving purple eyes.

"I had to." She said softly, her throat parched as she tried to defend herself.

"I know," he told her understanding.

"Is she all right?"

"Physically." He nodded, but his eyes showed a different concern.

"It will take time to mourn." She whispered.

"Yes, but she will pull through."

"Yes, she always does, as long as she is not alone."

"No one likes to be alone." Taiki stated.

"One does get used to it." She said smiling.

"Are you alone?"

"Sometimes."

"The others?"

"All have respectful others. No one loves me." Taiki's heart broke at that statement, could she really believe that.

"I can't believe that you really think that."

"The ones that we love, we can never have." She told him with a small smile. Her eyelids kept falling down over her eyes, telltale sign of sleepiness.

"Go back to sleep." He told her as he sat back down beside her.

"Will you stay?" She asked as she fell back in to the darkness.

"I will always be here, Ami-chan." He told her sleeping form and was answered by a small moan as she turned in her sleep.

00-00-00-00

Yaten stood by the bedside as Minako tossed and turned in her unconscious state. She had yet to wake up and go into her normal state of sleep that he was told should happen. The door open behind him and he looked to see his princess glide through the door.

"Hello Healer."

"Princess."

"How is she?"

"She hasn't woken up yet."

"You seem worried?" She asked him. She was beginning to wonder what had happened on earth between these two senshi and her Starlights.

"Yes, I am." He was more frustrated that she wouldn't wake up. This wasn't normal Serenity said before she had gone to see Mamoru she had said that they should be like this for a few hours then wake up and go to sleep. Four hours had gone by and she had yet to wake up.

"Why? What happened on Earth between you two?"

"She gave me hope when I had none." He said nothing more after that, so the princess relented and moved on to a different topic.

"Well, Mercury has just woken up, so I am assuming she will too. Remember, you still have night duty tonight."

"Thank you." She turned and left, closing the door quietly behind her but Yaten didn't even notice he just stared at Minako. He brushed her hair off her face and smiled down on her. They had never told their princess of how they had died for them. The memory of Minako running in front of him saving him from having his star seed taken was still fresh in his mind even though it happened about 100 years ago. He shook himself out of his memories when he saw her eyelids flutter open.

"Hi." He said gently.

"Is she okay?" She asked, closing her eyes again.

"Not really, but she is healthy."

"Good. Don't be mad, I had to. I have to go home and I have to bring her with me."

"I know."

"Tell her I need her, she will understand."

"Okay," he told her, but she had already fallen into the depths of sleep.

00-00-00-00

Usagi stood looking at Mamo-chan more that prepared to join him but the princess words hung in her head. _"He was not the only one, who loved and needed you…" _She was right others needed her but she wanted to be with him. It was supposed to be forever, or so she thought. She continued to cry as she sat down in the wheelchair, but she stayed by his side for another hour until she could no longer stay awake. She slowly wheeled herself out of the room cumbersomely opening the door, and there he was.

"You stayed." She said, but all he did was stare at her swollen eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Yes." He said as he walked behind her pushing her back to the hospital.

"Why is it that when Mamo-chan isn't with me you are."

"I guess your god know that you need me."

"There is no god; no good god would take my Mamo-chan from me."

"We all lose people we love, but we go on."

"Have you," she yelled at him, needing to vent. "Have you ever lost someone you loved with your whole heart and soul? Have you ever had your heart torn out by the one you love? HAVE YOU?"

"YES!" he said yelling back. "So stop yelling at me and learn to move on." He told her as he calmed himself down.

"I can't, not yet."

"Fine, but don't take it out on the rest of us." He said as he got to her room, then turned around and left.

"Seiya, wait." It was a plea, but he was already gone. She started to cry again, the sobs racked her body as she crawled in to bed to cry herself to sleep.

00-00-00-00

Minako stood by the window looking out the window. They would leave today, and she would once again leave Yaten behind. She had fallen hard for him on Earth, but she hadn't notice how hard she had fallen for him until he left, then she hoped that it was just an infatuation, but she still felt something very strong for him. She wished that she could stay and see his planet, but she knew that she couldn't. Uranus was having a hard time dealing with everyone complaining to her all the time, she was going to kill someone soon, or so Minako feared. She was still wearing he hospital gown, Seiya had come to tell her that he was preparing their ship and that they would be ready to leave in an hour. He didn't really look to good and she had a feeling that she knew why. Usagi had lashed out and she had yelled at him and hurt him. She did that sometimes, but always to Mamo-chan who could calm her in a minute, but Mamoru was no longer here. Minako hung her head and looked down at her bare feet for a moment. Then took one last glance out the window and then left to find Ami.

She looked in the room next to her, _boy she was hard to find. _

"Hey girl"

"Hey, Minako-chan."

"Did you hear, we are leaving today, in about an hour?"

"Yes, Taiki came by."

"It was good to see them again."

"Yes."

"Hey Ami, you want to go and wonder around the palace."

"Do you think that that will be okay?"

"Sure, what will they do, kick us off?" She said with a laugh.

"Okay." She said slowly, not really sure, Minako was acting the same she did when she was 16. Minako latched onto her arm and pulled her down the hall.

"Hey, slow down." Ami yelled startled when her voice echoed down the hall.

"Ah, Aim, com'on, don't ya want to see as much as you can, before we leave forever?"

"Well…"

"I will take that as a yes." She said as she continued to drag her friend down the hall.

00-00-00-00

Seiya walked through the hall. Everything was ready all they had to do was leave. He knocked on the door to Serenity's hospital room. In his hand he held the dress that his princess was loaning her. He walked in the room and saw her still curled up on the bed. For some reason the bitter words that she had spoke yesterday had hurt him, more that a little.

"Get changed, it's time to go." He told her. He cringed; he sounded cold, even to himself. She turned over to look at him with hollow eyes.

"It hurts." He nodded curtly to that statement. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to do with myself."

"You'll learn."

"How can you be so cold?"

"I have been through it, you learn to deal, but it can still hurt, everyday, every thought, but you still need to go through it."

"I know."

"Change, I'll be back to get you to the ship in a few minutes." He turned to leave, but then turned around. "Don't worry about it, I know how you feel, and I'm sorry too." Then closed the door behind him.

Usagi stared at the door wondering why she felt even emptier after he left.

00-00-00-00

They walked everywhere, through the palace into the garden then into the courtyard. Everything was amazingly beautiful and clean. It was so much like Earth that Ami almost wanted to cry. She looked around her to see that they had ventured farther that she thought.

"Minako, may be we should head back now?" she asked not wanting to see more.

"You're probably right; they are probably ready to ship us off." She told Ami with a laugh.

"I'm sure we will see them again." Ami said with hope, knowing that it would most likely never happen.

"No, I don't think so." Ami looked over to Minako, her confusion apparent. "The only reason that we are seeing them is because I had no where else to run."

"That isn't true." She said touching Minako's arm lightly,

"No, Ami-chan, it is, I came here and dumped all my problems on them."

"They did the same to us."

"Not willingly. We asked for their problems along with our own."

"Minako, if you hadn't I would be dead, so stop worrying about pride, and be glad that Queen Serenity and I are all right."

"I know, we should go back, but I don't know where we are." She said starting to laugh. A giggle escaped from Ami as she grabbed her arm again.

"This way, silly." She said as they walked back through the courtyard, into the gardens and back into the palace. They headed toward the docking bay slowly taking in everything that they had seen here and imprinting it on to their memories. They got to the docking bay and smiled at the lights.

"Where have you been?" Yaten growled at them.

"On a tour." Minako told him, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh, please," Taiki sighed, "Let's just get on the ship." Minako went up the ramp followed my Ami then the lights; she stopped dead in her tracks to look at them.

"What are you doing?" She asked cautiously.

"We are coming with you." Seiya told her bluntly.

"No way." Minako said, not wanting them around.

"Well when you pulled that stupid stunt, we were going to tell you." Yaten told her with an evil smirk and raised eyebrow. Ami smiled, she remembered this now, and they had been talking about this when she hacked into the computer system in the council room.

"What, why do you need to come?"

"To help."

"We don't want or need your help" Minako said. Ami looked from her to the lights totally confused; she had said that she would miss them so why didn't she want them to come along.

"Minako, they won't stay that long, just to help." Ami defended the lights, knowing that any willing hands could help.

"But they might not be accepted by the people, and what about Uranus?"

"Only for a short time." The lights watched the girls fight.

"Venus, just let them come." All five looked over to the Queen of the Moon, surprised.

"Yes, your majesty." She finished walking up the ramp and then headed toward the cockpit. "Fine let's go."

"Hey, "Yaten said as he came up behind her. "Who said you could drive?"

"Me."

"Fine, but I am co-pilot."

"Then sit down. Vessel name?"

"Earth." She looked to him, in shock. "What? Did you think that we left and forgot all about you?"

"Yes, I did." Then she put on the mic. Ami came in quietly behind her,

"All is set."

"Okay, Tower, Vessel Earth ready for lift off."

"You are clear Earth, safe journey."

"Thank you for your hospitality, we shall remember it." She then looked to Ami. "The Queen?"

"She is in the lounge with Seiya and Taiki. They gave us the rooms next to theirs."

"Good, why don't we take a tour after lift off?" Ami smiled, nodded, and left, Minako looked over to Yaten. He hadn't said anything yet, and why did he look so mad? She proceeded with the lift off; it ran smoothly, considering that she had done it thousands of time in her lifetime. She sat back in the chair after setting course and then looked over to Yaten. When he looked over at her he looked very mad. She smiled then continued piloting the ship.

"You really think that we just forgot about you?" Yaten asked after they were on auto-pilot in space.

"Hey what were we supposed to think? We all knew that Seiya loved Usagi, but he never even drop a note a letter or any type of communication. But you know, whenever we saw shooting stars there was always that hope that it was you guys. But never. Then I just killed you, never thinking that you could live this long, you guys were dead and buried."

"Then why did you come here?"

"I had no other choice."

"There is always a choice." He told her angry.

"No, not when you lose your planet, your king is dead, your queen and friend are dying and you have no water and food. I had to come here; to the closest place that wasn't an enemy even thought I thought you wouldn't be here. Sometimes, you just deal with the cards that life gave you." She said as she turned and walked away.

00-00-00-00

Mercury's blue eyes studied the chessboard watching Taiki as he moved his knight. "Why sacrifice your knight?" She asked.

"He is useless."

"He is never useless, Taiki-san." She said on a laugh as she then took out his Queen with her white knight.

"Wait a second." He said realizing what she had done. She turned her head when Minako came in.

"Minako-chan is everything okay?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah, are we ready for our tour?" Ami nodded and Taiki stood to show them around. He showed them around and four the next four days this ship carrying technology and machines became home to the six people, and 3 cats present. The trip wasn't exactly bad but when they got to the Moon, they were only met with chaos.

00-00-00-00

Uranus watched as the hatch came down and then watched as Venus came down first. She looked to her and smiled grateful that she was back. She walked to her and gave her a hug, something totally against her character and she knew it but she didn't care. "Never go away again. That is my last order as temporary leader."

"I don't think that we have to worry about it." The others started to come down and she saw Uranus glare at the people behind her. "They were sent to assist."

"Did you tell them we don't need them?" She asked rudely knowing that they would hear.

"They didn't care. So tell me what's going on."

"Confusion chaos, we tried to make it right…"

"Uranus this isn't like you what's wrong."

"All these annoying people expect me to know all the answers. I discovered that I am not a people person."

"Okay, my office." She said laughing…They all worked better as a team then as a single person. Even though she was a leader they all depended on each other. They walked away. The Starlights watched the transaction amazed at how well these two got along compared to the way they were in the past.

"Man I thought they didn't like each other." Seiya said.

"Yeah…" Yaten said confused. Michiru walked forward.

"Welcome Starlights, we greatly appreciate your willingness to assist. Thank you."

"What are they doing?" Yaten asked pointing to the pair missing.

"You see that board?" She asked then waited for him to nod. "In five minutes your duties will be posted there. Watch and see how we all work with our leader."

Then the duties were posted and they no longer talked but now they all worked.

00-00-00-00

End Chapter One.

This story will have a total of four chapters. The following chapters will focus in on one couple. The next chapter will be about Minako and Yaten, and will pick up where this chapter left off, I have always like Minako, so in the future that was why I made her the leader that is also based on the manga, where she was the leader. I think that all the scouts would grow up and be a little bitter, so I have tried to portray that in this story I hope that you all enjoy, and as always review to let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Cat.


	2. Chapter Two: Minako

When the Earth is Gone: Chapter Two…Minako

By Catrina

A/N: Okay so her is chapter two. This chapter focuses only on Yaten and Minako. The next chapter, chapter three, will focus on Ami and Taiki, while the last chapter will be Seiya and Serenity. As always please let me know what you think. Minako may be a little out of character, but I tried to account that they are a lot older now. Thanks for reading!

00-00-00-00

Yaten stared at the ceiling in his large room that he shared with the other lights. It wasn't even really a room. It was more like four. The room was three bedrooms along with a meeting area, half kitchen half living room. They had been here three weeks, they hardly saw anything but work. Taiki was in the lab always working, Seiya and Yaten were both doing physical labor along with all the other scouts, but Minako, she worked half the day outside then disappeared. It was now 6:00 in the morning and he stared at a table filled with eggs, sausage, pancakes and anything else he could think of. So he ate up ready to begin the day.

00-00-00-00

Rei stood watching Minako sitting in her desk fast asleep. Minako had come back to find Haruka about to kill anyone who asked her one more question. She had taken over her job again. She sat in the office everyday, organizing the building crews, talking to leaders and anyone else who had problems and then she would do anything the queen couldn't do, which was about literally everything. Right now, with the way that Usagi was, she had become a figurehead; she no longer though of herself as the queen, Minako made all the important decisions and when she would ask, the only thing Serenity did was nod. The other scouts were out there doing all the work, but she was the only one behind the scenes. It used to be her, Mamoru, Serenity, and Michiru. Now it was just Minako and they all were worried, but she wouldn't listen to them. She had to repay everyone for letting Mamoru die, or so she thought.

"Venus, wake up!" Rei shook her head a little bit and smiled when she didn't. That had never changed, you could never pull her out of bed in the morning, but now what was different was that you couldn't get her in bed either. Venus glowed, as she finally transformed back into her normal self. They had decided that because seeing the senshi comforted the people, they would be senshi all the time. Rei just finally gave up and let her sleep, she had probably been up all night, she pulled the com line and then locked the door, and she met Haruka outside.

"Is she okay?"

"Exhausted"

"She really needs to stop taking the blame."

"Uranus, we all feel it, but she feels it more. She is our leader, Selene granted her that power we when we became eternal. How are the crews coming?"

"The Moon project is 95 complete."

"The last 5?"

"We need Venus's plans for that. All the quadrants are built and all the businesses are distributed now all we need to do are the people. Plus they started work on the palace yesterday. That's the last thing that needs to be done. Then its all little things."

"Let her sleep, we can wake her in four hours…that is what she usually runs off of anyway. How did they distribute the businesses and house anyway?"

"Mercury had everything on her computer and for the last few days everything on the earth computer was downloaded onto this one. She had records of all the businesses and how they did and how they were standing financially basically linking with every financial institution, we put them at the exact same point and if they didn't want the business anymore we put it up for sale. The people were divided into three levels of monetary value and we built houses as close to identical to the ones on earth, they will live as they did before. All is taken care of. In a way… it's still no earth"

"Whose plan?" Mars asked.

"Mercury mostly, Michiru and I helped a little bit. That was why we could do the distribution in quadrants 1, 3, 4. Two is the business district, but if I could hack into her computer, I could get the directions that she redid last night."

"Don't worry she'll take care of it and she'll be fine." They smiled a little bit to soften their worry, then headed on their way.

00-00-00-00

The Fighter and Healer stood over seeing and helping the crew. They worked hard and this project was done by the noon.

"Hey!" He announced to the crew, "go ahead and take a break, we will be back with our next assignment."

"So where are we headed then?" Healer asked

"To see Venus."

"Why?"

"Healer, she is the coordinator of the rebuilding project."

"Along with working it?"

"Yeah."

"Not doing much is she?" Fighter looked over to Healer and smiled. "Hey what is that smile supposed to mean? Huh?" When they reached the office the saw Hotaru standing outside the door.

"Hey Hotaru, Can we see Venus?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"She is sleeping."

"SLEEPING in her office?" Healer yelled. He started to pound on the door. "VENUS! HEY VENUS! WAKE UP!" That was when someone grabbed her by her shoulder.

"Leave her alone Healer."

"Hey Uranus, what do you want?" Healer said turning quickly to face her.

"Leave her alone."

"Why should I?" Healer told him, she was getting pissed at them doing all the work and Venus doing none. She smirked as she dodged a punch from Haruka, and then the fight was on. She got a punch in landing right in her stomach but didn't have time to brag as she felt Uranus hit her on the back pushing her away.

"Just leave her alone." The threat hung in the air as the door opened.

00-00-00-00

Minako stirred, hearing noises out side; by the time she noticed it was fighting she was halfway to the door. She opened to door to see Uranus fighting with Healer.

"Just leave her alone." She heard Uranus say. It had taken her a long time to get Uranus's trust and friendship, but now that she had it she knew that Haruka would defend her to the death.

"Stop," she said quietly and when that didn't work, "STOP IT, what is wrong with you guys?" Uranus and Healer tore apart at the sound of her voice. She looked horrible, her hair was out of its red bow, her eyes were slightly red, and she looked pale and drawn. She looked to Fighter and smiled a little bit. She was the only one in the group not fighting "What can I help you with?"

"We need to be reassigned." She said slowly taking in her appearance.

"Follow me." Fighter followed, but not without looking back at Haruka who looked as shocked as they did. "Fighter, where would you like to go?

"We would like to stay in this area, if possible."

"Well this is the only area that still needs construction work, so you have two options," she told her as she shuffled through her papers. "You can go to Quadrant II or you can start on the castle project?"

"Castle project." Her smile was huge.

"Great choice. You will work with Taiki, Rei, Mako-chan, and Michiru. Ami is in charge. Haruka and I will be joining you a week from now and then rest will be there in two weeks. When that castle is done, we are done." Fighter looked at her carefully, wondering if she knew that she was only wearing a T-shirt and boxers, and looked like a walking Zombie.

"See you then, thank you." Fighter said walking out the door.

"Will you send Hotaru in please?" Closing the door behind her she relayed that message to Hotaru and then looked to Healer who was staring Uranus down.

"What in the hell happened to her?" Fighter asked

"She has been working." Uranus said leaning against the wall.

"Why does she look like she hasn't sleep for a week?" Fighter asked again

"She hasn't, really." Uranus said smugly, knowing that she was right and it was time for them to feel ashamed.

"Well why not?" Healer asked this time.

"Bastards like you won't let her." Healer started to make a fist as her anger grew.

"Why?" Fighter asked. She was obviously torn inside to see one of her friends like this.

"She has taken over Queen's duties," Haruka said relenting. "Serenity can't handle it without Mamoru, so Minako took over. She feels guilty about the death of our King. So she does whatever she can to make up for it. When she became our true leader, she changed. The serious personality that she hid with her cheerful demeanor came out no longer allowing for the Venus we used to know so she became like she is now. Only works, Ami is the only one that can get really close but that is because she knows how alone she feels. She'll work her self to death, but she sure gets everything planned," she said sarcastically, "sure, Mercury designed it and we all built this place, created it, and Venus was the one that got us here. She was the one whose plans I followed so that everything would run smoothly. She has control and every one of us works for her. So if you think she has it easy, you have got it wrong." With that she turned and walked away.

"Well at least we learned what we wanted to know." Healer said looking to Fighter, but she had only one thought on her mind.

"Odango."

00-00-00-00

After the fight, Minako sat down behind her desk and waited for Hotaru. When the purple haired cherub came, she smiled.

"Hello Hotaru." She said quietly. Hotaru smiled back and tilted her head.

"You don't feel good."

"No."

"Why?" She asked her purple eyes lighted with inquiry.

"Because, Uranus and Healer were fighting... about me."

"Healer thought you were lazy."

"I know..."

"But you aren't, you are strong, that is why you are our leader." Minako almost started to cry. This young child had such hope and confidence in her. She smiled.

"Thank you Hotaru." After pausing a moment she continued. "I need a favor of you?" Hotaru smiled at that. "I want you to watch over the queen and report to me if anything happens."

"But all she does is stay in her room."

"I know but watch her, she may change."

"She is sad."

"She lost the man that she loves, I would be sad too."

"I will watch the Queen for you, Minako-chan."

"Thank you."

"Minako-chan, why are you wearing a t-shirt?" She looked down and blushed.

"I didn't know that I was." Hotaru laughed and then left. Minako fell back into the chair and sighed, she left tomorrow with Uranus do the last check the other quadrants and run the population distribution in quadrant two. Then just the castle was left. It was so mind-boggling that they had save almost everyone and populated the moon in only 3 months. They were fortunate the lights brought all their technology along with their machines or it would have taken forever. How would they ever repay them?

00-00-00-00

The guilt just kept eating away at him. He lay in bed and tossed and turned, but still he couldn't sleep. He had to find Minako and apologize. He grabbed his white tresses and pulled it back into his ponytail and pulled on a shirt and left to find Minako. First he checked her room but she was not there then he went to the office and she wasn't there either. Soon he just wondered around the castle wondering where she might be. He found her in the soon-to-be-garden sleeping quietly on a bench. She was now as Eternal Venus but she still looked tired and worn. He sat beside her and lifted her hair out of her eyes causing her to wake. Big blue eyes met pale green ones then she smiled.

"Yaten-kun. How are you?"

"I am fine, just looking for you."

"What can I help you with?" She asked with a sigh.

"Why do you think I need something?"

"Well that is why most people come to me." She told him with a laugh.

"Well I came to apologize." He told her meeting her gaze full on.

"About what?" Blue eyes clouded with confusion.

"About thinking you were lazy. I thought that you did nothing while all the others worked. I am sorry for thinking that." A bright smile lit up her face and he saw a glimpse of what he remembered so long ago. He smiled back. They sat I comfortable silence until he looked over to see that she was using his shoulder as a pillow. He smiled as he picked her up. She woke for a second to see that Yaten was carrying her so she put her arms around his neck and sighed as she fell back to sleep. He was amazed at the trust she put in him so quickly. He took her to her room laying her down and kissing her forehead. "I shall see you tomorrow Venus." He said quietly before shutting the door behind him.

00-00-00-00

But he didn't see her tomorrow. And as he worked on the castle with all the others, he was mad. Why didn't she tell him that she had to leave? He decided like the others not to transform today, it took up to much energy and they needed all that they could. He saw the Queen walking through the construction sight followed by Hotaru. That girl was on her like glue almost constantly. She looked around then decided to voice her question.

"Has anyone seen Venus?" She asked. Michiru turned to her and smiled.

"She left with Uranus to do the distribution in Quadrant two."

"I need her to..." Yaten no longer able to stay quiet looked at her point blank and smirked a downright evil smirk.

"How about you do your own work instead of having her do it?" The whole site was quite. Everyone was in shock about what he had just said. Serenity looked at him in shocked confusion.

"But she always does this."

"Have you seen her lately? Wait, no you are locked in your hole all the time crying over something that can't be changed."

"Yaten that is enough!" Seiya said walking over to him.

"No, I don't care if you do still love her, Seiya; she has no right to lose touch when she is queen. She has been weak for her Senshi and her people. She has no right to shove all her duties to someone else just because she can't learn to deal with her emotions. Especially this long! It has been almost four months. You could at least try to function RIGHT."

"Yaten just let it drop." Makoto said as she walked up beside him. "We all know that it isn't fair and that Venus shouldn't have to do all the work, we are at fault too, letting Venus take it all into her own hands like that. We all should have helped."

"You shouldn't have to." Yaten said turning on her. "Why don't you tell your Queen, to work it out or get someone else to take her place?" He said as he stomped off.

Seiya looked to Serenity to see her very confused and was that a little bit of anger? "Give him a couple days and he will come to apologize." He told her patting her arm a little bit.

"Was he right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I out of touch?" She looked over to him as he was staying quiet that was when she realized that she must be. He was looking everywhere but to her. "I am aren't I?"

"She just feels guilty because she couldn't save him."

"It was no one's fault."

"Tell her that not me."

"I know that I should be able to let go, but I don't know how. He was such a major part of my life that I don't know what to do without him. It was so easy just to hand it over to her and let her be strong for me."

"The best things for you are usually not easy." _Just like me letting go of you, until you popped back into my life when I was finally forgetting how much I felt for you._

"It is so hard to believe that we are on the moon and not on earth. So much the same, but I know it is all fake."

"Only if you don't believe, give it time and the moon will be a glorious center, to a whole New Kingdom." He stared as the others went back to work and knew that it was time to join them. Serenity stared at Seiya; he looked so much like Mamo-chan. The same dark hair framing the deep blue eyes that were such a strong feature in his countenance. But he was more no longer relaxed and the laughter that she usually saw there was no longer there.

"Seiya, why don't you smile?" He looked over surprised by what she said, then smirked much like Yaten's earlier.

"There is nothing to smile about, and there hasn't been for a long time."

00-00-00-00

Uranus looked at Venus and the total surprise on her face and had to laugh. "The distribution is done?"

"Yes ma'am," the soldier told her.

"All done?"

"Yes ma'am all I need is for you to sign here and you can head home." He told her again with a smile. The soldier had been shocked at first seeing a goddess was new to him, especially one as beautiful as she was. She signed her Venus mark and the soldier smiled.

"Please explain how this was done?" she asked.

"Well, we called down to your main office and the young lady with purple hair answered and said that you were busy. So I told her that we had run ahead of schedule and that we were ready for distribution, so she got on the computer to get the plans that you had made and then sent them to us. They were written easily so we had no trouble following them. We decided with all that you ladies do ma'am we could do our part to help you." When he said that he almost fainted, the smile that she gifted him with would make him a follower of Venus forever. She continued to smile as she went to thank him. She extended her hand gratefully.

"Thank you so very much. This has helped so much. I really don't know how to thank you."

"This will be fine ma'am." He said bringing her hand to his face to kiss it lightly. With everything done here they decided to turn and head back for home. Boarding the shuttle Uranus turned to Venus.

"You have another follower." She told her as she laughed.

"I know. I thought that he was going to faint when I smiled, I was in such utter shock." She told the other woman shaking her head.

"I wonder why people don't look at me like that?"

"Because you don't look like me." She said with a giggle. Uranus laughed with her. She missed this Minako, when she was like this; it was like she was fifteen again. They all missed her like this. Then the moment was interrupted

"Uranus ma'am, there is a transmission coming in for you." the attendant told them

"Thank you."

"Michiru love," She said as the face of her beloved appeared.

"Hello, my love. I think that you may want to be prepared for tension when you return."

"Why is that?"

"Yaten got quite mad at our Queen today lover."

"What do you mean?" She asked her temper started to boil.

"Serenity came in looking for Venus, wanting to give her something to do, is she back there by the way, I wasn't sure if she would be asleep."

"I am here Michiru."

"Continue," Uranus said wanting a reason to go beat the little punk.

"Well, Yaten got mad at her telling her to do her own work and to get in touch or get out. Then continued to tell her to that she was not only being weak for her people but for her senshi and the least she could do is try to function right. It was quite a little scene." After hearing that Uranus's temper deflated. Everyone had been hoping that their queen would just snap out of it. But she wasn't.

"Maybe this is what she needed." Uranus told her.

"Why was he defending me?" Venus asked a little shock.

"Probably because he was as mad as all the rest of us about the Queen shoving all her work on you."

"All of you?"

"Venus we understand that you feel guilty..." Michiru said over the line, "But she has to move on and you need to realize that there was nothing that could be done. We all feel guilty, but there was nothing that we could do." Michiru wanted to reach out to the younger girl as she started to cry but gave Uranus a look that had her putting an awkwardly supportive arm around her.

"We will be back soon, love, about an hour, see you then."

"I love you." She said her bright aqua eyes shining.

"Same goes." Venus continued to cry a little shock by what Michiru had said, but now, she could feel the guilt being lifted from her shoulders replaced with relief.

"It wasn't my fault."

"No, it wasn't." Uranus awkwardly gave her a hug and Venus had to laugh.

"I hope that you are smoother with Michiru when she cries." She said cautiously.

"I use distraction techniques." They looked at each other and laughed. Hopefully the old Minako was coming back, Uranus thought.

00-00-00-00

Yaten paced back and forth in his room, trying to work his temper down and not succeeding. Why was he so mad? He didn't care; he would be gone soon anyway, what then? This wouldn't be his problem then. There was a soft knock on the door and as he tore the door open he looked down into the pale blue eyes of the Queen. He had grown quite a bit in height and was only a head shorter that Taiki.

"Hello Yaten-kun." She said looking into his turbulent green eyes. "I want to thank you." She watched as his jaw dropped and then caught himself and snapped it closed. "You made me realize how weak that I had been. And as a ruler, I must be strong for everyone. It was so easy to let Venus and the others take control, that I didn't even think that I was being a coward. Thank you."

"Let me get this straight, you are thanking me for getting mad at you?"

"Yes you helped me to see things clearly."

"No problem, you confuse me more now than you did then." She knew what he was talking about she had confused all of them by wanting to fight with them and then helping and then giving up her star seed so easily. "Sorry I lost my temper."

"I know but I am glad that you said what you did." She turned to go then turned back to him, "Venus is arriving in about ten minutes at dock bay three." She smiled a secretive smile as she left. He was left more confused, now why the hell did she tell him that, he mused as he walked out the door until he realized where he was going. _Well I need to see her sooner or later_. Now where did that thought come from?

00-00-00-00

He looked at her as she walked off the shuttle. She was laughing. He smiled when he saw her. It almost took him back to other better times, when he first came to her planet. He could sense her. She felt different. Much like she did when on Earth. Now he felt the pain, but it was under happiness. He smiled. She had let go of the guilt. She looked up to meet his eyes, surprised to find him there, but she had sensed him. She smiled and talked a little to Uranus and walked over to Yaten.

"Would you like to take me on a tour?" One of his eyebrows shot up, questioning her. "You have been here building it, I haven't." She was smiling and even laughing. He couldn't help himself. He extended his arm.

"It is only about a 1/4th of the way done but sure I would love to be your escort madam." He said with a smirk, this wasn't like him at all, but he was never quite normal when he was around her. She put her arm through his and they walked through the construction site. They talked and laughed and then they stopped. They sat down on in bench in what soon would be a garden, only parts of the gardens were done. That was were he had found her sleeping not to long ago..

"You let go?" He asked, quite serious now.

"I had to, it was eating me alive. I will talk to Serenity tomorrow."

"She will talk to you. She came to thank me for what I had said." He looked at her waiting for her to ask what had happened.

"Why did you say it?"

"Say what?"

"What you did."

"I couldn't stand to see you like that. You are a good friend and I didn't want to see you end up with a tired and aching heart from something that you couldn't change." She looked over to him and smiled tears filling her eyes. "Oh, no. Don't cry."

"I am glad that you cared." She told him as the tears began to fall. She looked at him in surprise as his gentle hands, now covered in calluses, from hard labor, framed her face to catch her falling tears. Not knowing why he leaned in and slowly kissed her tears away. He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes and they seemed so endless he felt that he was drowning.

"Don't cry I don't like to see you cry." He leaned his lips down to hers and brushed his lips against hers tasting the salt from her tears. The kiss deepened as he pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms twining them around his neck entangling her fingers in hair and deepened the kiss.

00-00-00-00

Serenity was walking through that garden until something caught her eye. She looked over and smiled. Minako could at least be happy now she could feel it. She smiled, turned, and walked away.

00-00-00-00

He really didn't want to stop kissing; it was to much of a drug to want to stop. She was holding on to him tightly he could feel where every finger dug into his skin where every fingernail made a mark, where every silky strand of hair touched his heated skin. Then it hit, he was kissing Minako, which was not a good thing. He would be leaving, not coming back and this would hurt. He had loved earth and the people and it had taken all of them a long time to get over the loss they felt when they had left. He pulled away and met her startled blue gaze. She too seemed to be in shock. She quickly pulled away and jumped up from the bench that she was sitting on.

"What...Why..." she started a little confused as to why this had happened. Yaten watched her a little bit upset that she was taking a kiss from him so strangely. He leaned back on the bench in a relaxed pose and watched her. "Why'd you do that?" She asked as she brought a hand up to touch her red lips.

"Because I wanted to." He said then a smirk lit up his face, "you did too." He finished she looked over to him. He was so relaxed and so confident and he had just kissed her to the point where you could have asked her what her name was and she wouldn't have known. He stood up, his frame unbending to stand up gracefully.

"I have to go." She said turning to flee, but he grabbed her arm.

"It doesn't change anything." He told her hoping she could believe him. She looked down to where his hand had grabbed on to her.

"You know, some part of me has always wanted you. Back when you where the lights, when I was an idol chaser, then when I found out that you changed gender, could become a woman, part of it disappeared, but not all of it. I always felt a little betrayed when you left, that you actually did it. I found someone who understood me. I felt comfortable being sad around you, but with my friends never. Then you just left 100 years and never any contact. When I ran, I don't know why I had to run to you. We found your planet a long time ago, Mercury and I and we had no problem ever finding it, for us it was the brightest, and I always wondered if you were still alive and if you ever thought of me. But I had to run to you, part of it to find closure on a life I couldn't live anymore, but there you were, watching me as I fell into a drugged sleep. Why did you care? What am I to you?" She seemed confused as all this poured out, she had turned her hand to hold his and he looked started.

"Minako...I do care, you're a friend someone who was there when I needed you most. When my princess was gone." He had to put an end to this relationship before it could start and he really didn't want to do it this way but the opportunity was given and he figure that it was a sign. "But now my princess is here..."

"So you don't need me. I get it I was a princess substitute..." She looked at him a little angry but understanding. "Thanks for the truth." She smiled as his hand dropped and he let go, then she was gone.

00-00-00-00

Days passed into a couple weeks and Minako seemed much like her old self. The building of the castle was moving swiftly and steadily. The only thing left to do was the living areas for the scouts. Each would have their own hall with suites and when they had guest the guest rooms were all located in the halls, but the scouts rooms were at the end of their halls putting them about a minute away from the princess. Mercury was programming the ceilings and walls with computer images of the planets or stars. One mural on the wall in the entryway had all the scouts standing in their eternal forms with lightning behind them and they stood in front of the Queen who stood holding the crystal forming the lightning. It was an amazing picture that was actually thought up by Taiki. Minako walked down the hall in wonder of all that had been down in the last month and a half. She stopped when she saw the queen walking in the hall staring in awe much like she was.

"Serenity. The paperwork will be on your desk shortly." She said smiling.

"Oh, Hi, Minako-chan don't worry about it." She said with a bright smile. The queen was slowly getting over the death of her husband. It was a long process but she had people around her who cared. "Hey, where's Yaten?"

"Why would I know?" She asked a little startled.

"Well I thought...well I saw...in the ...um..."

"Just spit it out Serenity."

"Well I saw you guys in the garden."

"Oh, that was a fluke, a bad call in judgment. Never should have happened." She saw the Queen nod in understanding, but she saw something gleaming in her innocent blue eyes.

"I must go, thanks Minako-chan."

00-00-00-00

Yaten opened the door getting ready to leave, only to find Queen Serenity there getting ready to knock. She looked like she was up to something. "A fluke?" She asked looking at him. "She said it was a fluke. I have a sense about these things and there is no way that that was a fluke." She said yelling at Yaten. Yaten looked at her and knew that she was getting ready for a rant so he opened the door, grabbed her hand and pulled her in. He fell on the couch in the room, put both feet on the coffee table crossing them and the placed both hands behind his head the let his eyes close half way as he continued to listen to her. "Now listen to me, she was always a little sad after you left, we all were but there was something that she found in you that she couldn't find in us. Then you finally get the nerve to kiss her and she tells me it was a fluke, a lapse in judgment that it never should have happened." She watched as his eyes shot open and he looked at her. She had to fight not to smile. She knew what made Yaten mad and one thing was insulting his intelligence.

"I don't make bad calls in judgment, and it happened because I wanted it to happen." He said looking at her. "How do you know anyway?" He questioned raising an eyebrow.

"You were kissing in a garden." She said, "If you wanted it private you should have taken her to your room. Besides one lapse in judgment always makes room for another."

"She said that...that it never should have happened." He said amazed at her. "I guess I need to talk to her," he said standing up and walking out the door. He left Serenity standing in the middle of the room smiling.

"Well that went well." She said as she followed him out the door heading back to the offices.

00-00-00-00

Minako stood in the queen's office doing the paperwork that the queen had needed help with. While Minako didn't take over the queen's duty she still helped but that was in her job description. She put together the file folder on the castle project then went to the door getting ready to open it. Before she could though it was pulled open from the other side and Yaten stood there. He took the folder then pushed her back in gently and then followed her in.

"I don't make bad judgment calls." He said looking at her. He saw that she still looked confused. "I DO NOT have flukes. I kissed you because I wanted to kiss you and it happened because I wanted it to."

"So that's what this is all about. I said something to the queen and you took it personally. It never should have happened." She told him confidently. She leaned against the wall and flinched when his fist came flying by her ear. _'Well this feels familiar.'_ She thought to herself.

"It was not a fluke, it was not a bad judgment call, it happened because it was supposed to happen. Don't make excuses."

"That kiss should never have happened, remember, princess substitute." She said using both hands to point at herself.

"I never said that, you assumed."

"It never..." She stopped when he took another step closer, she knew he wouldn't hurt her, but he looked angry.

"Tell me then, Minako, is this a fluke too?" He asked as he took a step the last step closer and pushed his body against hers and hers against the wall. He bent his head slightly to capture his lips keeping his eyes slightly opened to watch as her eyes widened then fluttered shut. Her lips were soft against his and he couldn't help but pry them open already knowing what it was like to have more. He felt her hands grab on to his shirt and pull him closer if that was possible and he smiled slightly as he let his arms fall from the wall to frame her face. Her skin so soft and delicate that he couldn't help but brush his fingers over it. He didn't know how long he held her pressed against the wall but sometime in that span of time her felt her body slump into his. He pulled her closer not wanting to let go.

She held on to him, not really caring that he was simply making a point. He was making it well though; she felt her knees give out and was glad that he held her tighter keeping her from falling. She knew she should stop it but it felt so good, he pulled away slightly letting both of them breath as he warmed a trail down her neck with small kisses and bites. "You said it didn't change anything." She said on a rushed whisper.

"You said it was a fluke." He said bringing his lips up to her ear to nibble on it while he spoke.

"Maybe we were both wrong." She whispered opening her eyes to look at him. "Cause this feels right." She said looking at him. She watched him watching her wondering what he saw.

"I..." he stopped there and shook his head. He pulled her away from the wall and completely into his arms. "Feels right." he whispered as he kissed her again. Her arms wrapped around his waist as she held on never wanting to let go.

"Yaten?" She said pulling away. "What is this about?"

"This isn't a fluke, and it changes everything. I don't want to ever leave here." He whispered, putting his lips next to her ear. His warm breath sending tingles down her spine. "I wish I didn't have a duty, I think I want to stay here and be in love with you."

"We have a duty...in love?" She asked the last part ending in a yell.

"In love...Do you care?" He asked

"What?" She said pulling away in shock. She grabbed his face and made him look into her eyes.

"Do you care that I love you and that you don't love me back?"

"I never said that I don't love you, but... but... but." She seemed to be at a loss for words. "Duty!" She said explaining it all. "It doesn't matter if I love you, we have a duty."

"I don't care, I still love you."

"Yaten." She said tears filling her eyes.

"Don't cry?" He asked wiping them away before they could really fall. "I hate to see you cry."

"No, this love is doomed."

"You love me too?" He asked a little to amazed, he had a feeling that she wouldn't let a man she didn't love just kiss her the way that she let him.

"Yes I think I love you too, but that isn't important, we have a duty."

"So what, I have 3 months left on the moon, lets enjoy it together." He said then kissed her before she could disagree. "Please?" He asked pulling away; she gave up and nodded to him.

"Okay."

00-00-00-00

They still fought, but now instead of walking away mad they would agree to disagree then end up making-up in private, the sectors in the palace were moving along quite well and three months moved very quickly. It only felt like days when Yaten showed up late at night looking very depressed.

"Seiya made the decision, we leave in one week." He told her not looking to see her reaction. "I have to go back. You understand?"

"You said you would have to leave." She said wrapping her arms around herself, trying to protect herself form the heartache she knew was coming.

"I have a duty..."

"I hate that word." Minako said. He looked up his eyes finally meeting hers. "Don't go? Stay here with me? We can go there, visit, but please stay?" She asked her voice pleading with him. He felt his heart tear.

"I can't, my life belongs to someone else. I don't control what happens to me." He said knowing that she understood they had understood that before they even gotten together.

"So why didn't you control falling in love with me?" She asked.

"My heart kinda did that on it's own." He told her. He walked to her. He placed his hands on her arms and worked down to her hands, which were ice cold at the moment. "I can come back to see you."

"What if I need you?"

"You don't you're strong."

"Not without you." He looked at her and saw that she truly believed that.

"I love you." He whispered and the whole moment diffused.

"I know." She whispered knowing that she was losing this battle. She took her hands out of his and then wrapped her arms around him.

00-00-00-00

He got an invitation on his bed to go to Minako's room. So around seven he started over there knocking on the door softly. He walked in then stopped in shock, the table was set with candles and wine and diner on the table. He looked to see her standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "I wanted you're last memories of the moon to be good ones." She said with a smile. She started walking to him then stopped as they both reached the table. He to walked to her stopping at the table.

"Thank you." He whispered. He grabbed her hand and leaned over to kiss her. He pulled away when he heard someone speak.

"I'm sorry this is a bad time.

"Wait Ami." Minako said not wanting her friend to be turned away, she was here because she needed her. She looked to Yaten and saw he understood.

"I'll be in the other room," He nodded at Ami on his way out; he smiled when he walked into the other room knowing that Taiki was the source of her distress.

"I already knew." Ami told her without preamble.

"He leaves tomorrow." Minako said knowing that Ami of all people would understand.

"I know so does Taiki." Ami said quietly.

"He was the only one wasn't he?" Minako said knowing that she pegged it when Ami looked up to her shocked. "He was the only one that stood a chance with you. He confused you and you confused him, you never knew what to make of each other, you died for him. You love him, don't you?" Minako asked bluntly. She smiled as she saw everything fall into place for her friend.

"Yes, I love him, I'm sure of it, but what do I do?" Minako smiled at that Ami would never do what she should do.

"Ami take this." Minako gave her the bottle of wine left in her fridge. "Drink this and mull over it a while." She took it even though she was confused she just let it be and left, saying a thank you. Yaten walked in looking at Minako then the door.

"That didn't take long."

"Hopefully she does it right." Yaten raised an eyebrow; sometimes only Minako could understand Minako.

"What do you mean?"

"She loves Taiki and she would never tell him, so I gave her something to loosen up."

"Wine." Yaten concluded smiling at her. He turned to her turning serious. "Minako, I'm going to say good-bye to you now since I can't tomorrow. He grabbed her pulling her into his arms. "I love you and more than I can ever express in words and the thought of leaving you makes my heart break in pieces. I'm sorry that I belong to someone else, but remember, I will be back, just for you and hopefully it will be enough to live for eternity. I love you and I will always love you." He told her.

"And I will always love you." She said cuddling in his arms. They stood there, no longer hungry and stayed in each others arms the rest of the night.

00-00-00-00

She watched as the Queen said good-bye embracing them all. She to followed her queen shaking hands and thanking them for coming. When she reached Yaten her hand held onto his knowing this would be the last touch of maybe forever, but she knew nothing else to do.

"Thank you for coming." She whispered. "Thank you for loving me." She said softer in a voice that she knew only he would hear.

"You're welcome, and thank you." He whispered. He smirked at her and then followed the others up that ramp to bring their shuttle and equipment back to Kinmoku.

"Ready for lift off." She heard Seiya say into her hear piece. She pressed the door to the shuttle bay and watched it close and with the seal of the door her heart shattered knowing that the man she loved could never come back.

"That's a go, have a safe trip. Good-bye." She whispered. She ripped off the headset and locked the door in the tower and as the sobs broke free she collapsed against the door, letting everything out.

00-00-00-00

"What is wrong with you, man?" Seiya asked Yaten.

"None of your business." He told him as he sat down in the copilot's chair, putting on the headset and ignoring Seiya.

"I can tell you." Taiki said coming up behind them. "He has left his heart behind on the moon with a certain sailor senshi of Venus." Taiki told them both with an ironic smile knowing that they all had once again.

"Well look who's talking, Mr. I-spent-the-night-with-the-girl-I-love-then-treated-her-like-crap-the-next-day."

"Ami stayed over-night?" Seiya asked lost.

"She came over drunk." Taiki tried to explain.

"Why was Ami drunk?" Seiya asked innocently truly confused.

"Because Minako gave her a bottle of wine." Taiki said in an angry tone looking to Yaten as though it was his fault.

"Did she tell you?" Yaten asked.

"Tell me what. She was trying to say something but she passed out. I wonder…" Taiki thought confused

"Damn..." Yaten said, there was no doubt in his mind that she would have told him that she loved him in that next minute. He looked distracted and the looked out to the stars and whispered. "I want to go back." He said setting his head against the cold metal of the ship. He no longer cared that he had to go home. Home was with Minako. Taiki stopped the argument by placing his hand on Yaten's shoulders.

"Resign from the Queen's court and go to your Venus. It is easy enough to replace you my friend. Princess can always chose another from a different Star." Taiki smiled and left his friend to think and the first thing that Yaten did when he got there was to speak to his princess who smiled, already understanding, and decided to let him go and be happy.

00-00-00-00

After he left things weren't that same, not only was Minako acting strangely distant but also both her and Ami were acting mad at the world. Serenity even thought of calling the lights to yell at them and see what happened. They had been absent for over a month almost two and she had never seen her team fall apart so rapidly. Everything was done but nothing was ever done with enthusiasm. Minako walked down the hall taking her time as she meandered down the never-ending hallways. It had been a long month full of loneliness and depression. Yet she still had good days and bad and she tried not to take it out on others. She heard a crackle over her radio and heard as a nameless man announced that shuttle 'Earth' was coming into docking bay. It took it almost a minute to register. About that time a sad voice rang through her ear

"Hey Venus, someone is here to see you."

"Copy" she said smiling, running through the halls she raced to the bay then stopped as she saw him standing there. She drank in the sight of him, his hair, his eyes, and his heart shining through them. She walked forward slowly watching him as he watched her.

"Hey, miss me?" he asked in a joking tone still watching her as they walked to each other.

"You have no idea." She said finally reaching him. She smiled then jumped up wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him healing both. "But I fell a lot better now." She whispered pulling away.

"I know me too."

"Here to visit?" She asked hugging him again this time settling against his chest.

"Really long visit, maybe forever." He smiled when he felt her freeze, "I mean I still have to go and visit." He said looking down at her.

"Staying…you're staying…" She let out a screech and then grabbed his face laying a smacking kiss on his lips. "I love you, you know that?" She asked him still holding his face gently.

"I know and I love you too."

00-00-00-00

As always let me know what you think. Thanks for readying and sorry for the delay.

Thanks

Cat


	3. Chapter 3: Ami

When the Earth is Gone: Chapter Three…Ami

By Catrina

Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N- this chapter will deal only with Ami and Taiki. Enjoy at let me know what you think.

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There were leaders and there were followers and Ami truly believed that she was more of a follower then a leader. Point being Ami hated to be in charge. She liked to work and do what she liked. She hated telling people what to do or how to do it. She liked to watch and help people learn not to dictate how to do things. But Minako had put her in charge of the castle project because she needed someone that she could trust and all other senshi were accounted for elsewhere. Now the castle was about an eighth of the way finished and soon the others would be coming to assist as they were finishing up building a home on the moon. Since the Lights had come to help and brought their technology things had started to proceed much faster. The castle project was going slowly then expected though; the design was very intricate and very beautiful and it _had_ to be perfect.

It had been almost a week since Yaten had had his outburst towards the queen which had shocked everyone, even herself. She didn't like to see anyone fight, but she wasn't going to stop it knowing that Yaten had been right. And now she was glad she hadn't. The Queen had taken back over and with the help of others she was doing fine, letting go like Minako had had to do. Ami looked over to the blond now. Minako must have been an idiot to think that anyone would NOT notice that she and Yaten where completely enthralled in each other. You could hardly draw them apart. And while she was happy for them, she was feeling alone even more these days. Minako had been the only other one to know how she felt and they had become close friends while the others had married and grew into families, but she didn't mind. Ro she told herself that she didn't mind but truthfully she was a little bitter. She looked over to see Taiki and Mako-chan having a very animated conversation. She looked over smiled wishing that someone could talk to her like that. Taiki looked up to see her looking at them and smiled. His odd colored eyes always seemed to startle her making butterflies flutter in her stomach. She blinked trying to ignore the feeling then smiled and turned away. She had to go find out what was wrong with the computer one of the machines cutting the art work in the castle. She let go of her meandering thoughts and walked down the hill out of sight.

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Taiki looked up from his rather boring conversation with Mako-chan to see Ami looking strangely at him. The time back had been full of hard work but at least they could all see old friends. But Ami he had noticed always seemed just a little sad. He knew what it was like to be an outcast. His intelligence level even on his home planet was high and he often found himself ostracized because of that. He smiled at her and went to raise a hand but then covered up the action as she smiled back then turned and walked away.

"What is wrong with Ami-chan?" He asked interrupting Mako-chan. She looked over to see her disappear.

"We've all be working hard, we're tired lonely and ready to be done, isn't that enough to make anyone a little off?" She asked the question green eyes looking into his seriously.

"Well, I guess." He relented a little bit then watched as the other senshi hesitated before speaking again.

"Thing changed a lot after you left. You could probably say that out of all of us Ami is very lonely."

"Why?" Truly he was perplexed, couldn't everyone see how beautiful and special that she was.

"Well first of all if being a senshi wasn't intimidating enough, she has a brain that's almost like a computer. Not all people are on her level, like you. We love her and she loves us, but others are intimidated by her."

"Really, that's preposterous."

"Trust me, I know. Well I have to get back to work. Where you headed?"

"To get new orders. Ami has them?"

"Good guess." She said with a smile.

"Ami-chan?" Now he had the joy of trying to track Ami down. It took him almost two hours before he found her. She was leaning into the engine of a huge machine and seemed to be playing with it trying to get it to work. She had her tiny body standing on a box trying to look in, but the box kept collapsing on her. It would have been funny if she wasn't getting so obviously agitated over it. He came up quietly behind her and put his hands on her waist meaning to help her out, but obviously he hadn't made enough noise in his approach because when he touched her a startled scream tore out of her mouth. She tried to get away but instead bumped her head on the hood causing her to yelp and then fall. If not for Taiki's quick reflexes she would have fallen to the ground instead of catching her against his chest.

It took Ami a minute to realize that she wasn't in any danger, but by that time she had al ready hit her head and lost her balance. All she really knew right now was that she wasn't on the ground. She looked up craning her neck back as far a she could and then looked into the lilac eyes of Taiki. Of all men to see her at her worst moment, it had to be him. A blush slightly covered her cheeks. Taiki smiled asking that she was okay and she nodded slightly causing her to notice the pain in her head. He set her down and her hand flew right to her head where she was bleeding slightly from her run in with the hood. She grimaced; she knew that head wounds bled quite profusely no matter how small they were. Keeping her hand on her head she looked up at Taiki whom was still standing there.

"How can I help you?" She asked shyly. She wasn't going to tell anyone, but those eyes of his had been hunting her dreams ever since she first slept on his home planet. She knew it was not more than a crush but she would get over it when he left and she was sure that he would. They all would and then Minako would be heart broken and become what she used to be and while that meant that she would have a friend she didn't want a friend who was so lonely and broken hearted. She was depressed enough for her self that, but I guess that loneliness loves company.

"I need a new assignment." He told her. He felt the need to get to the point, either that or stare at her all day.

"Get that thing running," she said pointing to the thing behind her. "I'm too short." She said it with disgust. Well she did only reach the middle of his chest, odd he just noticed.

"Okay and when I am done with that?"

"Find me; I will be at the first aid tent." She pulled her hand away and looked at it. Blood covered it and was still running into her eye. He took the long sleeve of his shirt and brushed the blood away from her eyes. She thanked him and started to walk away but the ground was unsteady and she was getting dizzy from the head wound. The cut must have been bigger that she though, because she was losing a lot more blood that she thought, but she could make it if she tried. Taiki watched her walk away with concern taking in her unsure step and how she now had both hands pressed to her head. Once again Taiki was glad of his reflexes as he ran ahead and caught her before she hit the ground in a faint. He lifted her light body in his arms and headed to the first aid tent. Rarely did anyone ever get hurt so there really wasn't a doctor but if one was needed, it was usually Ami, but Taiki had plenty of practice form Kinmoku. He placed gauze in her head taping it down as the blood flow started to slow down.

Now came the guilt, he shouldn't have scared her like that. He continued to hold the gauze to her head, it was a minor faint, and she would be up soon. As usual he was right, just as he thought that her blue eyes started to flutter open. She opened her eyes completely and the moved to touch her head. She grimaced a little bit when testing how sensitive it was. She looked to Taiki who was still hovering over her and smiled.

"Thank you" She told him quietly and a blush swept over her cheek when she knew how stupid she must look.

"I'm sorry Miss Mizuno…Ami-chan…I didn't mean to scare you, I just thought to help your endeavor."

"I know that is perfectly all right. I was getting exasperated with that tedious machine. It was causing all sorts of problems."

"I understand how it could, those crystal cutting mechanisms, they are the oddest things."

"They are the hardest things to repair, especially when you are vertically inclined." She looked into his eye noticing that he was a little confused, "Short." She told him with a small laugh. "It was a joke, Taiki-san, cheer up, I'm fine." She was still lying down on the makeshift bed so he held her down when she tried to get back up.

"Let me bandage your wound a little better" With gentle hands he changed the gauze and then continued to tape the gauze down. He smiled and helped her up when he was finished.

"Thanks" she said has she got up and headed back out of the tent, "You mind fixing that cutting mechanism? I have to go and work on the ceiling in the throne room."

Amazingly it took all day to fix the machine and Ami didn't have to see Taiki again that day. She let out a sigh, he charmed her and she didn't know why. She sat contemplating her next move. She was playing chess against her computer. She didn't know why she tried she was playing the computer game that she programmed and well, it wasn't much of a challenge. She smiled as the computer flashed "you are victorious." She looked at the clock in shock it was already midnight. She had wanted to do the plans and had them finished and she had just started the game. But then again she was used to not always getting a lot of sleep. She changed and then climbed in to bed and fell into a deep, but restless sleep. Surprisingly filled with dreams of very tall, purple-eyed sailor starlight.

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Taiki tossed and turned in the overstuffed bed once again trying to get settled. For some reason he couldn't he kept recalling parts of his day.

He looked up to the ceiling wondering what it was Ami was doing right now. Was she looking with tired blue eyes on her computer or was she asleep with her soft blue hair spread out over the pillow as she dreamt. His thoughts turned and turned. A long time ago her thoughts of dreams and romance had haunted him, but he had put those thoughts to rest, or so he thought. He remembered before he had left how she had given him a book about earth, telling him to never forget all that he had done and learned here. Then on the inside cover she had signed, with love, Ami-chan. It had taken him along time to get used to the idea that he had fallen slightly in love with her, and then never be able to be with her. And now he was seeing her everyday and all that he could tell was that he was still in love, but she wasn't in love with him. His eyes fluttered shut on that depressing thought.

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Ami was lying on the floor when Serenity walked in. She gasped at what she saw. Mercury was programming the ceiling. It was a picture of the galaxy with the sun in the background and the moon in the front. Each planet was staggering closer to the moon as thought to protect it. On each planet was the sign of the planet and glowed in the scout's respective color. Closest to the moon she noticed where Venus and Uranus, her two leaders, she thought with a smile, Mercury was in the far back, no surprise there. Even though the design couldn't have been real it looked amazingly so. Serenity stood in awe at the amazing picture. She looked behind her to see that Uranus and Venus had also walked in. They all stared in awe as she worked. Each moment the pictures become more and more alive. Taiki chose that time to come in. He looked at the people gathered and then to Ami, and then he smiled. She continued to work not noticing her audience. He looked to the others, but they stood watching the picture grow more and more beautiful. It was now Mercury was trying to get the computer-generated moon to shine light on the single throne. It was quite an amazing site when she was done. She put her computer visor back over her eyes just to make sure that all was proportional, when she looked over to see her audience.

"It is amazing Ami-chan!" Serenity said smiling over at her. "Thank you so much." She told her rushing over to give her a hug.

"I knew that you would like this design." She said with a blushing smile. She looked to the others who still looked in awe. "What do you think?" She asked.

"It's amazing Ami. How did you come up with it?" Uranus asked.

"I had unsettling dreams last night that wouldn't let me sleep." She told her.

"It is absolutely marvelous." Venus said. "Are you finished?"

"Not yet."

"What else could you possibly do?" Taiki asked speaking for the first time.

"More. I want to have the planets guiding a way to the throne, but it took me a while to figure out the moon that I am not sure if I could do it."

"Taiki would you stay and help her?" Venus asked.

"Sure, I will be of assistance as much as I can."

"Thank you. Uranus we need to go."

"Right." She nodded to with Venus and left.

"Serenity, did you need something?"

"No I was just wondering…I could sleep either last night. And lately have been having troubling thoughts…" She paused for a moment before moving on to the hard part of what she was about to say, "What happened to Mamo-chan's power when he died?"

"It most likely died with him, I would assume. His guiding planet is gone. Would you like me to see if I could trace it?"

"Yes, would you?"

"Why do ask?"

"Well you remember when I was in a coma? Back on Seiya's home world?" She waited to see Mercury's nod, "well he told me something about his power being passed to another, to whom I would love."

"Hmmm, that is interesting; I will see if I can trace the power, I have some old readings of all our power levels. I'll see what I can do. After I get this done?"

"That would be wonderful Ami. It really is no rush, just curiosity on my part" Usagi rushed forward to give the girl a hug. They others wondered away leaving Ami and Taiki. They stared at each other in silence.

"How's your head." Taiki asked quietly breaking the silence.

"Better." She answered raising her hand to touch the wound in question.

"Good, so what are you trying to do?" She smiled.

"Well, what I want to do is bring the planets closer together and to the moon so that they look like they are protecting it, then I want to have each…" Taiki listened as she rattled off her list then smiled. She had thought trough every little detail. He reached out a hand grabbing her little computer stopping her train of thought. His hand brushed her as he pulled the computer away.

"Let's take it one step at a time." She smiled at him and then put the visor down over her eyes as they worked together. They finished the throne room only to go to the ballroom then the salon then the entryway. The construction of the main castle was down, now they were working on the planet's hall, but only certain places would have the extravagant ceilings. They worked well into the night, not watching the time, but spending it with each other creating pieces of art by programming computers to have pictures on walls and ceilings. It was fun, for them anyway. Ami let out a yawn then looked in the bottom corner of her computer and gasped.

"Oh my, it's 1:00 in the morning. I need to get to bed." Taiki looked to his own computer to see that she was right.

"Let me walk you to your room."

"Oh, that's not necessary." She said, as her computer seemed to disappear revealing her blue eyes underneath them.

"I will anyway." He offered her his elbow as the walked down the hall, Ami couldn't help but smile.

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Time went on and one after one all the walls and ceilings that the Queen wanted done were getting done and everything was going smoothly. They finished doing the one in the hall where the planet halls begun. It was the one she liked the best. Each one of the senshi stood guarding the door near their hall and an image of the sign of the planet hung above the door. Venus stood by her door a smile on her face and her arms crossed with a chain of heart in her hand. Jupiter stood posed and ready for her supreme thunder attack, Mars was leaning with her back against the door frame with a look on her face that asked do you really want to be here? And she stood by the door doing her shine aqua illusion. The Queen's mural had her holding up her staff and light shining from it. She stood by Taiki admiring their work.

"Very nicely done." He said.

"I agree, this is my favorite." He looked to her watching as she looked over it all.

"Let me walk you to your door?" He asked.

"Of course." She never bothered to say no, because he would go anyway. She had learned that over the past time working together. They made idle chatter as they walked then when she got to her room they stopped.

"Well goodnight." She said softly.

"Ami, we leave at the end of this week, and I want to say thank you. It has been a pleasure to work with you and I wish that we could stay longer, but duty calls us back and I will miss working with you." He watched for any kind of reaction. He wanted to believe that they had gotten closer. Want to see if she thought of him as more then a friend. If she could think of him as a lover? Wanting another moment to engrain in his memory he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Thank you, Taiki-san." She watched as he leaned his tall frame to bend down she had turned her head slightly to unlock her door and when she turned he place the small kiss meant for her cheek on her lips. They were as soft as they look he realized.

"Good night." He whispered not correcting the mistake.

"Good night." He heard her whisper back.

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She dreamt of him again, this week all her dreams and thoughts were on him and solely on him. They were going to leave tomorrow. She had to know. Her boots clattered on the floor as she walked, the now finished palace was done and programmed and they had no reason to stay. She knocked on Venus door then let herself in. What she saw shocked her. Minako and Yaten were kissing over candles and wine. She turned around as she spoke.

"I'm sorry this is a bad time."

"Wait Ami." She stopped when she heard Minako speak.

"I'll be in the other room," He nodded at Ami on his way out.

"I already knew." Ami told her without preamble.

"He leaves tomorrow."

"I know, so does Taiki." Ami said quietly.

"He was the only one wasn't?" Ami looked up confused. "He was the only one that stood a chance with you. He confused you and you confused him, you never knew what to make of each other, you died for him. You love him, don't you?" Minako asked bluntly. For Ami everything fell into focus in that one moment.

"Yes, I love him, I'm sure of it, but what do I do?" Minako smiled at that Ami would never do what she should do.

"Ami take this." Minako gave her the bottle of wine. "Drink this and mull over it a while." She took it even though she was confused she just let it be and left, saying a thank you. Yaten walked in looking at Minako then the door.

"That didn't take long."

"Hopefully she does it right." Yaten raised an eyebrow; sometimes only Minako could understand Minako.

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It didn't take her long, after a few glasses she was in a happy little fog and well she thought it might be a good idea to talk to Taiki. She went out the door then realizing that she forgot the wine, went back in grabbed it and went on her way. She giggled when she saw Seiya and he winked at her, he was going to the garden. Well that meant that she and Taiki would be alone.

Taiki jumped a little when he heard the knock on the door, why couldn't everyone leave him alone, he wanted to wallow in pity tonight, and he had already nursed a few drinks, something very strange for him to do at all. For tomorrow he would lose the one he had fallen in love with all over again, it had been bad enough the first time, but now he had to go through it again. He opened the door surprised to see Ami standing there. Her blue eyes looked into his he smiled and let her in.

"What can I do for you Ami-chan." He asked glad to see her.

"Share this with me." She said holding up the bottle of wine. He smiled at her and took the bottle. That was when he realized that it was already gone.

"Ami-chan, are you drunk?" He asked looking at her carefully.

"Nope, Just tipsy." She told him. He bent down to get a better look at her. Yup, she was drunk. He then noticed her appearance; she had no shoes on, along with a short blue skirt then a light blue button up top, which was buttoned wrong. He led her over to the sofa and was about to sit her down when she shoved him down instead. He was caught off guard by her strength and her behavior. He landed on the couch with a small thud, then sank a little lower as Ami perched herself on his lap. His eyes went to hers in shock. She just smiled and started to talk.

"You know, I went to Minako with a small problem of mine and she gave me that." She said pointing to the bottle that had dropped to the floor. "And now the problem is all gone. I feel so much better. So I thought that I could come here and share it with you, but I drank it all. I'm sorry." Since she looked like she really meant it he answered back.

"Don't worry, I have my own liquor to drink." He told her, smiled at her when she smiled to him.

"You know what?" She paused for a moment and Taiki wasn't sure if he should answer or not. Then she continued. "I have dreams at night and you are in them." He grew puzzled not really following her train of thought. It was kind of scattered. "Those eyes of yours are so…fascinating." She told him as she put a gentle hand on either side of his face and stared deep into them. And even then he couldn't believe that he was in this position with Ami of all people. Her eyes were so deep he felt like he was being drawn into them. "I like your eyes." She told him again. "I think that you should stay longer, there are still little things to be done."

"My princess…" he started, but she interrupted him.

"I know my queen… I understand. But I wish…you could stay." He was about to ask why when her lips brushed against his lightly. "I always wondered what it would be like to kiss you. Then that little kiss you gave me…made me tingle…I wanted more." He stared at her in shock. This night in general was very shocking, and it was amazingly wonderful, even though she was drunk. "What's wrong." She asked frowning for a minute. When he didn't reply she continued. "I'm sorry…" she said but recanted when she pulled his face to hers to kiss him again. 'This was so unlike her' was his last rational thought right after, 'she'll hate me in the morning.' This time it was a longer kiss more passionate, and he responded in like, pulling her closer, he wanted this, he got lost in the kiss and the same went for Ami. He placed his hands on her hips going to push her away, but at that touch he pulled her closer, his heart saying yes, his mind saying stop. His hands worked on their own actually undoing the two buttons holding her shirt together. It fluttered off and he didn't even notice. He kissed her back and he grabbed her tender skin pulling her closer until she was chest to chest with him. He felt her hands pull his long hair out of the ponytail and her hands spread in it massaging his scalp. She was pretty good at this, he noted with jealousy. The jealousy giving him a semblance of control.

"Ami?" He said pulling away. "We need to stop."

"Why?" She asked. She looked him straight in the eye and asked the question and right now he wasn't coming up with an answer. "You want this too." She said running a finger down his face. "Tell me you haven't always wondered about what it felt like to hold me." She pointed out that his arms were around her of his own accord. "Tell me have you ever wondered if my skin was soft?" She asked again as he noticed that the shirt that was barely buttoned had come off, funny he didn't remember doing that, "what I tasted like?" She asked. She watched as he watched his own hand move slowly over her midriff sending tingles through both of them. "I have." She said placing a gentle kiss on his neck, licking slightly tasting his skin. He let out a murmur trying to say something. She pulled away placing her lips near his and looking at him. His eyes were a dark purple and his face was slightly flushed, she did that she thought proudly.

"Ami…" he said staring at her. She looked so cute, so adorably and she was making it really hard to say no. One more kiss he thought and pulled her back to him, his lips smashing hers. He heard her whimper and hope he didn't hurt her. He laid her down on the part of the couch that he wasn't sitting on and proceeded to loom over her. Her arms pulled him down so the skin she was revealing under his shirt could touch her own. He was losing his control and he didn't care. He was sure the liquor he had earlier wasn't helping. Right now he just really didn't care, all he was think was that he left tomorrow, and he wants…. No…needed something to last him the rest of forever. All he had ever wanted was her. He ravaged her mouth, not meaning to but not being able to stop. His hands had yet to stray beneath her waist but the skin of her chest and midriff was flushed and soft and he wanted to feel. They went on, neither wanting to stop but she pulled way laying her head back as he kissed a trail down her neck. He felt the vibrations on her neck when she spoke and words had never sounded so sweet.

"I never felt this way before, and I don't think that it is just the wine." She closed her eyes and she tried to say more, "I think…" she pulled in a breath and he felt her body go limp it took him a moment to realize that she had passed out. She had probably never had alcohol in her life before then a whole bottle, it was probably a lot for her system. It was probably a good thing, he wasn't sure if he ever would have stopped kissing her. He gazed at her form lying on the couch. He picked up her shirt and put it on. He picked her up and carried her to his room in the suite that he shared with his brothers, who were both absent. He pulled back the covers and laid her under the sheets. His heart beat was now starting to get under control. She murmured something incoherent and he smiled, she was adorable when she was drunk. He kneeled beside the bed to study her. Her blue eyes had floated shut and her dark lashed caused shadows in her sleep. Her blue hair was spread out across his pillow looking like a halo, her body lay comfortably on her back she pulled her arms together looking like she was tying to hold something. She would have a killer headache tomorrow. He went to the bathroom and got a couple aspirin then sat on the bed beside her and picked up her body shaking her a little bit. Her lashed fluttered open and he slipped the two aspirin down her throat with a glass full of water. She was back asleep before she hit the pillow. He sat on the bed, watching her sleep, there was just something intimate about watching a person dream. She was now lying on her side facing him. He laid down to look at her, his last thought was that he would move to the couch, in just a minute. Sometime during the night he woke up hearing the door slam, Seiya was back, he must not be happy. He turned over, surprised at first to once again see Ami there. He smiled and pushed the hair back away from her face then fell back to sleep, to dreams of the one love that he couldn't have.

The first thing she noticed was the intense pain behind her eyes. When she went to opened them she instantly was blinded and shut the once more. She was warm, very warm and she was being held. She opened her eyes again. The sun was shining in her window, but the sun had never shone in her window before. She turned onto her other side, then opened her eyes again, this time she was shocked by something else.

"Oh my God," She screamed and grabbed her head to try to get it to focus. That was not Taiki, she looked around and realized that she was no longer in her room. The memories started coming back just like the wine she drank last night had flowed out the bottle. She watched with dread as Taiki opened his lilac eyes to look into her dread filled ones. "What happened, what did I do?" Taiki looked at her confused then realization dawned on him also.

"Nothing," he reassured her. She looked around then at the clock.

"I have to go." Before he could say anything she had run out the door and left him behind. He stared at the still open door when Yaten appeared in his line of vision.

"She spent the night?" He asked raising a brow.

"Kind of." He answered as he headed to the bathroom, he needed a shower before they left.

00-00-00-00

Ami ran to her room jumped on her bed but realized that tears would never come, she never cried, all she knew was that the man that she loved, adored, was leaving, and that last night she had to ruined everything. She smiled as she looked in the mirror, it was a happy smile, but a tear filled one. She needed to apologize and make sure that they could still be friends. She would have to settle for being friends. She transformed and went on her way; she needed to prepare the shuttle and get her mind of this pounding headache.

One hour later she was in the captain's chair running diagnostics. Her visor was down and her computer out and her wings were driving her nuts. Yes it had been nice when she had first become eternal Mercury. The power boost had come in very hand and the new technology in her visor and computer had astounded her, but the wings, they were iffy. Thought they did make them all look much more powerful, and was part of the reason that a lot of people referred to them as goddesses, which was unnerving. She heard footsteps behind her but ignored them until the person who was causing the sound sat down beside her. She looked over through her visor and blushed when Taiki was sitting there.

"Taiki-san," she whispered as she put her visor up. Once seeing that she had his attention she talked normally. "I should really apologize for the way that I acted last night. That was the first time that I had ever gotten drunk and my behavior was inexcusable. I hope that we can still remain friends."

"Friends?" He asked confused.

"Oh thank you, I have so few I wouldn't want to loose one. Please, this time keep in touch." He nodded thoroughly confused she smiled said good-bye and offered him a hand shake, it was the last time that he would see her, it was how they said good-bye, and it was how she broke his heart.

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Taiki watched as Yaten said good-bye to all the people that he had known his whole life. He was leaving for his love, to be with Venus. They would come and visit here and they would go there to visit also, they would all come for the wedding. Taiki was driving him and then bringing the shuttle back, they couldn't afford to lose anymore and with the territory around them hostile Yaten would be at risk just becoming a shooting star. So they left it had been almost two months, Yaten had to find a suitable replacement, the one that he chose would still 'just have to do.' He smiled and they started the four-day journey there.

00-00-00-00

It had been two months since they left. And for Ami it was a really bad two months. Her shame grew at her actions before they left her anger that he hadn't stopped her, and that he hadn't wanted her, hurt. And the loneliness was the worst. It was ten times worse than the first time that he had left, but now she was more than in love with him. Her heart and soul belonged to him, and he didn't know it, didn't care. She was okay when she worked, but as soon as the door closed in her suite, she would let the mask fall. Plus they were supposed to be friends they had agreed, right? But he hadn't called or communicated at all. Her heart had been broken and couldn't be glued back together this time. Though now she and Minako had something in common again, and now they were closer that ever. Now she was in the shuttle bay when the ship landed. She identified it right away. Knowing who was on that shuttle she thought it would be best to find a private place to call Venus from. She would be happy… actually overjoyed was a better word. She smiled as a lonely tear slipped down her face; she wiped it away before anyone could notice.

She didn't go back to the shuttle bay.

She hadn't seen the other visitor.

Instead, for once she was selfish, she would be jealous.

And suffer in peace.

For the next two days she hid in her suite, she didn't really want to see Yaten and Minako so happy. She loved them both, but right now she couldn't stand it.

00-00-00-00

Everyday he walked the halls looking for her and everyday he never found her. Sure he had enjoyed the tour of the totally finished product and the day of relaxation but he was leaving…tomorrow and he wanted to talk to her, see if she was okay. He knocked on the door to Venus's suite knowing that Yaten would be there even thought he had a suite right next door. They would renovate the two suites so that they would have a bigger living space. Minako opened the door and let him in. After being polite and then getting Yaten he said good-bye to the friend, brother, and fellow soldier that he had known so long. He hugged farewell then did the same to the laughing Minako.

"You need to see her." Taiki turned back to look at Yaten who had spoke. "At least tell her good-bye." Taiki nodded.

"Watch out, that temper of hers will kill you." Minako said it almost as an after thought. He looked at her and simply assumed that it was a joke. He smiled; he didn't notice that she wasn't smiling too.

00-00-00-00

Ami looked up at the knock at her door. She really didn't want to see anyone. For once she wanted to do what so many others had done. She wanted to simply wallow in self pity. She had finally gone back to work for a little while today and she was tired. The idea of people looking up to her and looking to her for orders still put her on edge and made every day a constant battle to remain confident and assured. She walked to the door slowly hoping that the person on the other side would take the hint and leave. But to her dismay, they simply knocked again. She opened the door and her jaw dropped at who she saw standing there. She stood there taking a full look at him then anger took over. It started as a low burn in her gut and spread until she was almost shaking with fury. Why exactly she was so mad, she wasn't sure, but here was part of it.

"Taiki?"

"Hello, I came to say good-bye." He noted that that was an odd statement to start off a conversation. He also realized that he didn't want to; he wanted to stay, with her.

"Good-bye…Good-BYE!" She said her voice getting louder. He watched as her eyes grew darker and her mouth formed a thin line. She brought her hands up to her head and ran both through her short locks spiking it slightly. "Usually, hello and good-bye don't go together in the same sentence." She told him, sarcasm lacing her voice as she looked at him once more.

"Ami, is something wrong." He asked, she seemed tense and upset.

"Of all the nerve. Listen to me.." She said pointing a finger to his chest. "For the last two months I have been nothing but a wreck because of you. Not only have I been getting more and more ashamed of my actions along with myself, I have been mad and lonely and did I mention mad." She talked while she grabbed his shirt pulled him in, then slammed the door shut to the people who were looking in, then slid the lock into place.

"Ami…" he said quietly as he put his hands up like surrender. "This isn't like you."

"No it's not, and it's your fault." When he looked confused she expanded. "I came to you drunk, and then came on to you, which you enjoyed for a little while, but then decided that you didn't want me. Of course no one wants the mousy one, along with that you never apologized for what happened… I wasn't doing that all by myself and then…and then…you leave, telling me that we're friends yet you don't call for all I know, you got killed on the trip. Worst of all you left." She told him waving her hands while talking. "How could you leave?" She asked as tears started to form. "And now you come here, to say good-bye and I never even knew that you were here!" She explained as she finished her rant. She turned went to the kitchen noticing that he had sat down on her couch, she slammed a glass of water down in front of him and it splashed up onto his face and clothes. He wiped it off slowly trying to understand her thinking.

"Glad to know that you haven't forgotten your manners." He said under his breath. "Look I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry isn't going to fix this, you let me feel like trash. Do you know how used, then how ashamed I have felt for these last two months and then friends you say, normal friends call each other, whenever I tried to call you, nothing, you were never there or always busy?"

"Listen I never knew that you called."

"I don't care, you could have called me." She pointed out.

"Ami, please calm down."

"No, I can't I'm sorry, I can't calm down." He got up of the couch and walked over to her. He put his callused hands on her shoulders and pressed down on them, she looked up at him and all he saw in her eyes were pain and anger.

"Why are you so mad, we…I did it once before."

"And that was bad the first time. But this time, the man that I love made me feel dirty, used, and made me so mad that I even lost my temper with him that takes a lot." She told him as she pulled away still riding the waves of anger.

"What?" He asked. When she turned to look at him he knew she wasn't planning on repeating that. She may not have even realized what she said "You said you loved me!" he said exasperated. His long legs covered the distance between them in an instant. He grabbed her and forcefully turned her. Her shoulders burned where he touched her, it was the same feeling that she had had the night she was drunk. Like she was on fire and floating. He placed a hand on either side of her face and forced her eyes to look at him. "Say it." He ordered. Her blue eyes were looking into his with amazement.

"The man I love…" she stopped in shock when his lips closed on hers silencing what she was going to say. She fought at first then realized that the feelings her body had had that night had nothing to do with the alcohol. She loved him and could not deny him of anything. She was high on him. She stood on her tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck and then she wasn't even on the ground as he stood up to his full height and held her off the ground. He spun her around once and then stopped, simply kissing her. Her legs wrapped around him, holding her close to him as she kissed him back with everything she had felt for him while he was gone. He knew her head was spinning, that nothing was in focus and it was the same for him. He pulled away setting her down but not letting her go and whispered in her ear.

"You wanted to be friends when you could have my love? Now I want you listen to me." He waited until he felt her nod. "I have loved you since you convinced me that romance and dreams exist in my world. And now you tell me that you have loved me. How could you let me leave, worse of all how could you just want to be friends."

"I thought that you didn't want me, and I didn't want to let you go completely. I need you." She told him in a quiet whisper hanging her head burying it in his chest, tears running quietly down her face.

"Why? Why would I not want you?"

"You didn't want me the night I was drunk…" she said so quietly he wasn't sure that he even heard her right.

"What?" He asked almost yelling again.

"You didn't want me. You could have had of me that night, but you didn't want me."

"Oh, god, yes I did, it was a blessing you passed out because there was no way I was going to stop, I couldn't I was to far gone to stop, I really didn't even want to." He confessed.

"I love you." She whispered as the tears rolled down her face making a dark stain on his shirt. "Please love me back, please want me." She pleaded with him tired and worn-out.

"Of course Ami-chan." He told her all of his anger gone. "I love you, Ami and I want you. Always." He felt her arms creep up around his neck as she pulled him closer, she nodded into his neck.

"Yes, forever." She whispered

"Marry me?"

"Yes." She told him solemnly her anger at him gone. "I love you." She told him as he picked her up and carried her toward her room.

"I love you too," he said as he leaned down and kissed her and the world disappeared for them both. She knew he would have to go back, but this time she knew that he would come back and it would be to marry her.

00-00-00-00

There we go, end of chapter three.

Next and finally we have Usagi.

Thanks for reading.

Cat


	4. Chapter 4: Serenity

When the Earth is Gone: Chapter Four- Serenity

By Catrina

A/N: Last of the chapters for this story…so enjoy!

00-00-00-00

"No, I don't care if you do still love her, Seiya, she has no right to lose touch when she is queen. She has been weak for her Senshi and her people. She has no right to shove all her duties to someone else just because she can't learn to deal with her emotions. Especially this long! It has been over four months. You could at least try to function RIGHT." She wondered could she really have become nothing. She listened as the people fought around her about her. Was it true? She tried to take in everything. Who have I shoved my duties on? Oh no, my friend. Love me? The last thought crossed her mind for an instant before the fighting resumed.

"Yaten just let it drop." She looked over to Makoto who stated talking now, her main concern seemed to be calming Yaten down. "We all know that it isn't fair and that Venus shouldn't have to do all the work, we are at fault too, letting Venus take it all into her own hands like that. We all should have helped." Venus is doing all the work? Her mind questioned once again, wouldn't Minako assign others to do the work. No not if she felt bad or guilty, she would try to work it off. She realized shame starting to settle deep in her heart.

"You shouldn't have to." She looked into Yaten's angry green eyes and saw that he was telling the truth, he may get mad fairly easy, but it was never over just anything. "Why don't you tell your Queen, to work it out or get someone else to take her place." He said as he stomped off.

Seiya watched her carefully gauging her reaction. She looked confused and was that a little bit of anger? He hoped so, she needed something to get her back on her feet maybe this was it. "Give him a couple days and he will come to apologize." He whispered walking up to stand beside her.

"Was he right?" She asked looking to him.

"What do you mean?"

"Am I working Venus to hard?" She looked over to him. She knew that he would tell her the truth no matter how hard it was for him. She trusted him, he was always honest as he could be, with her. But he was staying quiet and she always heard that silence spoke loud enough. He was looking everywhere but to her. "I am aren't I?"

"She just feels guilty because she couldn't save him." He said trying to explain, to help her understand. She seemed so lost.

"It was no one's fault." She whispered.

"Tell her that not me."

"I know that I should be able to let go, but I don't know how. He was such a major part of my life that I don't know what to do without him. It was so easy just to hand it over to her and let her be strong for me." She whispered again, Seiya was one of the few people that she still cared about what he though about her.

"The best things for you are usually not easy." _Just like me letting go of you, until you popped back into my life when I was finally forgetting how much I felt for you. _

"It is so hard to believe that we are on the moon and not on earth. So much the same, but I know it is all fake." She said looking around changing the subject.

"Only if you don't believe, give it time and the moon will be a glorious center, to a whole New Kingdom. And you WILL be the Queen." He stared as the others went back to work and knew that it was time to join them. Serenity stared at Seiya; he looked so much like Mamo-chan. The same dark hair framing the deep blue eyes that was such a strong feature in his countenance. But he was more relaxed and the laughter that she usually saw there was no longer there.

"Seiya, why don't you smile." He looked over surprised by what she said, then smirked much like Yaten's earlier.

"There is nothing to smile about, and there hasn't been for a long time." Nothing to smile about, she wondered. Wasn't there anyone out there that could make him happy? She turned and walked away. She had some apologizing to do and some responsibility to take. Everything she realized changed after that and time went to fast for her remember it all.

00-00-00-00

She stood in front of them not really wanting them to go. These people had once again been there in her great time of need. First she hugged Taiki. "Thank you for coming." She told him. "You have been such a help we never could have gotten it done without you." She smiled at him then went to Yaten and hugged him.

"I know I will see you again, but don't wait to long." She told him smiling. He smirked, he had come to realize that she had changed a lot and he respected her now more than ever.

"Seiya," she said standing in front of him, "I know we didn't spend anytime together, but when I needed it you told me the truth and I greatly appreciate all that you have done to help me and the moon. I will always remember that and you will all be welcome here anytime, it is partially your home anyway." She said laughing. She wrapped her arms around Seiya, "please come back, I'll miss you, just visit." She whispered she felt him nod and for some reason she didn't want to let him go. Right now she felt safe and secure, but it was always that way with him, even when she was 16. She stepped back, but didn't let go of his hands. "I will miss you." She said.

"Odango I haven't seen you that much to miss." He told her honestly but knew without a doubt that he would miss her. Her smile when she saw him, the glimpses in the hall.

"I could feel you here, I know when you are near and I know that I am safe." She told him. "I will miss your presence and what you have always given to me, your strength. Safe journey." She said tears forming. He caught one on his thumb and studied it.

"Don't cry, remember, I'm only a call away." He turned with the others and boarded the craft. He never looked back. He never saw her cry anyway.

00-00-00-00

She stood on her balcony watching space. There was no moon to look to or an earth for that matter. But something was still where the earth was holding the moon in place. Mercury had yet to figure it out. But they did figure out that the earth wasn't completely destroyed, it was just unlivable and broken. And now here they were about a year later, two of her senshi getting ready to be married and she was all alone. The place was filled with guest from Kinmoku and she had yet to greet the princess and Seiya, which was what she, was doing now. Mercury came up behind her startling her at first.

"Ami-chan." She said smiling; the girl absolutely glowed these days.

"Serenity, I have had no luck tracing Mamoru's power until tonight and it started to register with in the last hour or so."

"Thank you Mercury."

"No problem, I will find out who received his power after he died." Serenity nodded. She had gotten used to it. She wouldn't say she was over it, she still missed him, but she was whole again. She walked down the hall and into the throne room where others had gathered and she stopped. For the year the Starlights had been here she hadn't had much interaction with them and she just now realized how much she had missed them. She was once again pulled back to the days when she was 16 and when Seiya turned and looked at her she froze. He smiled at her and she stared. It had been so long since he went away. Though in reality it had only been almost a year. Her senshi jumped back and forth between planets, both honorary senshi of Kinmoku and she had done the same with the lights. He started walking toward her and she finally snapped out of her shell and did something the 16-year-old version of her would do. She ran to him and hugged him.

"Hello Seiya." She said softly.

"Odango." He whispered holding her close to him. He knew he should let her go, but it was the most wonderful torture he could think of.

Kaykuu looked over her red eyes watching the two embrace and she smiled. She couldn't really help it. She was about to lose another one. She was glad that she had so many senshi in waiting. For a small time of her life she had loved the dark-haired starlight, but when she saw him so in love with another there was jealousy, but not anger. That was when she realized that while she loved him, she wasn't in love with him, a big difference and now she smiled.

They pulled apart both surprised. She watched him a little bit then went to hug Kaykuu. "Thank you for coming." She said. They laced their arms together and watched as their senshi hugged and laughed, the two had arrived only moments before she had got there and everyone was happy. The wedding was planned for Minako and Yaten tomorrow and Ami and Taiki next week. They would stay the whole time after Serenity had been reassured that Kinmoku was being taken care of.

"They have such fun together." Kaykuu observed.

"Always have, some resentment when we first met a long time ago, but now they are always happy together."

"And you?" Kaykuu asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you love one also?" She asked.

"Seiya?" She asked in shock, "No." She replied

"I'm sorry I had to wonder." She said, then watched as Serenity watched him.

"I understand." Serenity said nodding. "It worked out well though, I'm sorry that Yaten can't come and visit as often, but Minako is such a strong force here that when she is gone we are all a little lost."

"I understand, besides, it is Yaten's choice. He no longer belongs to me."

"Allow me to show you to your room." Serenity asked, moving her staff in the general direction of the princess's room.

"Of course." They talked on the way and then Kaykuu decided to stay in her room. She walked back to put the crowd to bed when she noticed Seiya standing outside the door.

"Seiya, why aren't you in with the rest?" She asked.

"Waiting for you." He said. "So how are you?" He asked and she knew exactly what he meant.

"Good, really," she said when she saw his disbelieving look. "I miss him but everything feels okay. It's like I made a whole new start here. I missed you." He nodded understanding.

"Helping to build it, it makes me feel like I'm coming home. I missed it and missed you also." He said to her smiling. His dark eyes looked into hers and she smiled.

"You are always welcome here Seiya." She told him.

"Thank you, shall we go in?" He asked holding out his arm. She nodded latching on.

00-00-00-00

Her night was full of dreams, not nightmares. She no longer dreamt of Mamo-chan, she always thought of him but last night her dreams were odd. She was with Seiya in a field much like the one that she had seen the time that she had died and went to heaven, even though it was for just a moment she still remembered it. Today was the wedding. In the time it took her to wake up her room was full. She smiled as the minute she thought as the scouts and scurried in her large room where they were all to get ready today. She got out of bed and the next three hours were off everyone doing everyone else's hair and everyone getting dressed in their gowns.

"Is Ellios here yet?" She asked.

"Yes, I saw him earlier." Mako-chan said. Minako was in the bathroom brushing her teeth for the tenth time and doing her hair.

"How do I look?" She asked finally coming out.

"Amazing." They all said on a sigh.

"Okay, I'm ready are you ready?" She asked them all. They were all dresses of either light green or gold, it was an amazing combination and everyone thought that she was insane when she picked the colors, but now everyone thought it was stunning. Seiya was first walking down the isle, he was the best man and well he was supposed to walk down the isle with Serenity, but instead he would walk Kaykuu to her seat then continue to stand with Yaten. Taiki was second escorting Ami, of course, and then men or friends of his from Kinmoku with the exception of Michiru were escorting the other scouts. It had been quite a fight actually, because Minako wanted Haruka to stand with her and Yaten thought she would make a good groomsman, but Haruka wanted to wear a tux instead of a dress so she was escorting Michiru. Serenity walked to the head of the line wanting to talk to Seiya and Kaykuu. Seiya looked at her stunned for a moment. Her dress of gold was much nicer that the others. She wore the gold well. The dress had spaghetti straps that went down to a square cut cleavage. The dress was tightened like a corset with laces in that back. At the end of the corset like waist in poofed out creating a small train. Her head was free of her crown and her hair was different, done in one bun and still some hung lose parts curled parts in braids. She looked stunning. He then realized that even though she was walking Minako down the isle she was also the maid of honor.

"Minako was a wreck." She said smiling.

"You should have seen Yaten. He is very nervous. See how he is constantly moving his feet that a sure fire sign that he's nervous."

"Minako's afraid he won't like her dress."

"Hell, he won't care as long as it's her in it." He said with a smile and she laughed out loud at that drawing some curious stares, the Queen's laughter had become foreign to many of her people.

"True, but I must say the dress was a little daring, I would never wear it." She said.

"Wow, that must be really bad then, but I know I'll like it." He said laughing.

"Seiya she's a married woman." She said in shock.

"Not quite. I still may have a chance." He said looking down at her.

"Only if snowballs grow in hell." She said quietly, then they both started laughing the whole conversation seemed outrageous.

"Will I have to run and catch you if you fall?" He asked as they heard the music start. She looked up to him, with her blue eyes serious.

"I don't do that anymore." She said then a smile broke and she proceeded to move to the back to find Minako. Then they all stood waiting for the appearance of the bride. Long ago they had all lost their families and Serenity was now going to give Minako away. Serenity stopped in the doorway sensing her friend's nervousness. She put a reassuring hand on hers and then pointed to Yaten. Serenity watched as she looked to Yaten and it all disappeared. Serenity knew that feeling and how it could all go away with one look. She looked over to see Seiya watching her concern on his features. She smiled at him and he nodded then watched as she gave her senshi away as everyone watched as their best friends said their vows exchanged rings and promised to love one another forever.

"Now you may kiss your bride." Ellios said. Serenity watched as Yaten smiled, he was obviously not familiar with this custom of the ceremony. He looked at Minako who smiled and then placed gentle hands on the side of her face drawing her to him. Serenity watched as they kissed, and kissed and then the church started to laugh, but the pair didn't seem to stop. Serenity looked to Seiya and he was simply staring at the couple that was still kissing. His eyes met Serenity's and she blushed and shrugged her shoulders. He walked over and tapped Yaten on the shoulder. They pulled away and he placed an arm around her waist. They smiled then the bride and the groom walked down the isle arm in arm and the bridesmaids and groomsmen followed. This time Seiya escorted Serenity.

Then there was the party. Serenity watched as everyone laughed drank and danced, for some reason though when Ami was offered wine she got really red and declined and Taiki had laughed. She looked over to the young man sitting beside her.

"And how are things in Illusion, Ellios?" She asked.

"All the dreams are right in the world, my queen." She nodded at his confidence.

"Ellios, with the Earth gone, where is Illusion?" She had lost her center much like Illusion had when the earth died.

"My queen, you know when you feared the Earth was dying and you came to me to take me to the moon, and I said no. Well Illusion is almost like a planet in the earth and when the earth crumbled Illusion still stood. Granted it is a supernatural plane that only few can see it is there "

"Mercury could always sense energy but she could never figure out what it was. Another question, where did Mamo-chan's power go."

"It went to someone who he found worthy among your friends."

"But who?"

"The next king. Excuse me, I have to go find the couple then be off." He said standing up.

"Chibi-usa?" She asked looking at him. She grabbed onto his arm to keep him from moving.

"Serenity, my pretty little princess will be born soon and everything will be right in the world. Believe it or not, nothing has been changed by Mamoru's death. The daughter you love more than life will still be born and a man you love more than life will be her father. See her and I are destined." He told her with a smile. She had never once doubted Ellios' love for her daughter. "Good evening, my queen." She sat in shock as she watched him go to Minako then Yaten and then watched him walk out the building and she knew he simply simmered away.

"Good news?" Seiya asked coming up behind her, he had heard it all but wasn't going to comment. His only thoughts were that he would lose her again to another man, any person but him.

"Yes," She said smiling, her worst fear about losing Mamo-chan had been Chibi-usa and her pink-haired angel would still be born, it was great news. "Let's dance." She said. He smiled at her and when she looked in his eyes she remembered earlier about what he said. They joined hands and they swept out onto the dance floor. He swept her easily into his arms and put his arm around her waist and their other hands were still joined. She looked up to see that even though he was right her in her arms he was off somewhere else. She didn't know this Seiya, he was too sad. "Seiya…" she whispered grabbing his attention. He looked down his dark blue eyes wondering what she needed. "Why so sad?" She asked reaching the hand she had on his shoulder to brush his cheek. He seemed surprised by her touch.

"Not really sad," he started, "Just lost in my thoughts." He told her smiling.

"Not now, but always. When Venus took us to Kinmoku, you were not at all like the person I remember. So dark and lonely, can't anyone make you happy?" She asked watching as he studied her.

"Only one…I loved her since I saw her, but she could never return my love." He said turning sad once again.

"Kaykuu?" Serenity asked not being able to keep her nose out of is business. She laughed as he almost choked in shock. He let out a cough and then shook his head.

"No, not Kaykuu." He said. When the song ended he looked down at her and smiled. "I think I'll go find the bride." He nodded then was off. It didn't take him long to find her and she smiled when she saw him.

"Seiya." She said extending her arms for a hug.

"One dance, Minako?" He asked not looking to Yaten know there would be a look of jealousy and anger on his friend's face.

"Of course." she replied. She placed her hand in his then put the other one on his shoulder and he put his arm around her waist.

"I'm receiving death glares." He said as they both looked over to Yaten whose green eyes were squinted in their direction.

"So am I." She said and he followed her vision to Serenity. "I know you love her. I know you always have." She said looking into his dark eyes. He looked at Minako; she looked so like her; the long blond hair and the sapphire eyes. Serenity had been right though, he couldn't see her in that dress. Granted it was amazing, a full skirt leading to a tight waist, but that wasn't the daring part. Her arms were covered in long gloves and the short sleeves lead to an amazingly low cleavage that v-ed between her breasts. A gold chain hung down low and it had the Venus sign wrapped in a green star. The veil sat on top of her head flowing down covering her long hair and making her almost seem mysterious. "Stop looking at the dress Seiya and look at me."

"What?" He asked, he may be in love, but Minako still looked wonderful and he couldn't help admiring her.

"I said I know you love Serenity and always have and back when we were 16 you didn't have a chance. But only because Mamoru was there, if he wasn't she would have fallen for you. She loved you a little Seiya, she ran to you, cared about you, and those emotions are still there."

"Ellios said she's destined for another." He said watching her.

"I think she destined for you." She said seriously. "Let yourself love her again, and see where it takes you." The music stopped and he stood there looking at her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek gently.

"Thank you Minako."

"You're Welcome." She said smiling. Yaten came up behind her putting his arm possessively around her waist.

"What was that about?" He asked looking at his wife.

"About what could have been." She said looking at him with a smile. "Shall we dance, it is our wedding." He nodded leading her out onto the floor.

Seiya walked back over to where Serenity was standing. She was talking to Ami and he couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"Ami he said I would love another."

"Than you are truly lucky Serenity, to have two men that you can love in a lifetime. Two men who would love you."

"But Mamo-chan…"

"Is dead, he can not love you from the grave." He almost gasped at the blunt way Ami spoke. "His spirit will always be with you and love you, but there is another who can and will give you the love you need here and now."

"Am I betraying him?"

"Never. He was the one who told you about it in the first place." Ami said gentling her tone.

"Thank you Ami-chan."

"I hope that I made sense." She started to walk away before she noticed him, "Hello Seiya."

"Ami-chan." He said smiling.

"So finally smiling I see. Did you enjoy your dance with Minako?" She asked, did she sound bitter even to herself.

"Yes she is even more stunning since she has that 'married' glow." He said almost sarcastically.

"Yes, I remember feeling like that." She laughed.

"I get a dance form the queen right?" She turned to see Yaten looking at her in question.

"Of course." She said extending her hand. She looked to Seiya telling him she would be back then went out on the dance floor.

"Serenity you remember when we left the first time." She nodded wondering where he was going with this. "Seiya said he will always remember you, I know you never really understood what he meant, but in a nutshell you held his heart and you still do. So don't break it, or you will have more that a depressed Seiya on your hands, you will have two angry Starlights, a pissed off princess and a big headache. And now more than ever are you in a position to break it, so just love him back or tell him to get away, because I refuse to see him fall for you all over again." Serenity looked over to see Minako rushing to them the Venus sign on her forehead had appeared and she was glowing slightly along with the others who were coming their way all signs present and all glowing a small tint of their color.

"Yaten!" Minako said grabbing him, "Do not ever threaten the queen." He shrugged his shoulders and looked to Serenity.

"This is between us." He told her in a growl.

"I understand." She told him solemnly nodding. He nodded and went off with his wife who had stopped glowing along with the other when they realized that it was really nothing. They always knew when she was being threatened and they would always come running the same for the king. Their powers activated it in them. The queen and kings' unique power sent of energy waves that activated them and telling them to help even if they really didn't. Even if they received a minor threat, they would glow. Serenity was tired and done for the evening walked off the dance floor went over to the couple wishing them well and then went to her room.

Seiya on the other hand stayed until the end of the party that lasted until the early morning the couple had long retired and now he simple sat watching the castle crew clean up the mess that had been made the night before. He stood up unbending his long thin frame to stand watching the rising sun. He knew that no matter what he would never find the kind of love that the others had, he had chosen to fall for the wrong woman. He loved someone who had buried her heart with someone a while ago. He had gotten used to the ache in his heart the one that told him how lonely and how much he hurt, it hurt knowing that she was close. Sleeping only meters away was the one who he loved and he would never have a chance. He remembered Minako's words, but they seemed to have lost their glow with the rising sun. He remembered watching the sunrise on earth, but this was different. There weren't any bright changing of colors simply the golden glow of sunlight. He wished that he could love another; he had tried on Kinmoku, but never succeeded, not even really close. He turned his dark blue eyes to the doorway and there she stood.

"Early morning?" She asked. Her blue eyes were inquisitive as she studied him.

"Late night." He replied. He walked to her. "You know I kinda miss Odango." He said softly. This woman in front of him may look like her, except for the moon gracing her forehead, but she wasn't the same.

"She's here." Serenity said softly.

"It feels wrong to call you Usagi-chan, or Odango." He said using a gentle hand to move away her bangs to look closer at the moon on her forehead touching it; he felt a warm glow come from it. Serenity sighed at the touch, goose bumps covering her flesh at the simple touch.

"Seiya, I'm still the same I only look a little different a little older." She said placing her hands together and holding them in front of her and in that moment she looked 16 again.

"I should sleep." He said slowly walking away. She watched as his lean frame fade out of her sight. He was so sad and depressed that she didn't even know what to make of him any more. She turned following after him.

"Seiya!" She yelled as she went to catch him. He stopped and looked back then waited for her to catch up. "Why do you accuse me of being so different?" She asked angry. "You, you are more different, have changed more than I have and you miss me?" She asked raising her voice. "I miss you, the real you that is under there somewhere. The one that took me out on dates, made me laugh, protected me like I actually deserved to be protected instead of just fight along. Where did you go?" She asked. She watched as he simply listened to what she said, realizing that it was true.

"Listen, Serenity, you don't seem to understand, I was only that way on Earth, around you."

"I know that you loved me." She said in a whisper so that others wouldn't hear.

"What are you ashamed… that I loved you, maybe still do?" Seiya asked.

"No not at all, but it has been almost two years since I lost Mamo-chan. And I think that part of me will always miss him, I'm ready for more."

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked his question trying to squash the glow his heart was feeling.

"Because Seiya there's something about you that…connects us…"

"Odango, I can't think, I need sleep." He said.

"I'll walk with you." She whispered. She walked next to him as he walked to his room. He opened the door and stepped in.

"Remember what you were saying, and tell me later. I want to sleep with thoughts that won't keep me awake." He walked in the room heard her whisper good night then fell on the bed asleep in an instant.

She stood outside his door, some part of her was telling her to go in and some other part said to run. She stood there looking at the door until Taiki walked by.

"Are you all right?" He asked watching her.

"I don't know." She turned looked at him then she shook her heard and went to work.

00-00-00-00

_He walked down the unfamiliar hall. They were filled with a smoking fog that kept his dark blue eyes from observing everything around him. It was constantly shifting taking shape into a building, one almost like the one he had built. He walked down a hall to the one door that stood opened and walked through it, he knew he should be surprised but he really wasn't._

"_Hello Seiya." The caped figure said._

"_Mamoru-san, hello."_

"_Seiya, nice of you to visit."_

"_Where are we exactly?"_

"_Illusion, the place of dreams. When I died I came here to my old kingdom." He said making a motion of showing the area around him. "This is where the dreams of people live."_

"_So why am I here."_

"_I brought you here. I wanted to talk to you. How is Serenity?"_

"_Well, she seems happy."_

"_Only around you… When I died I told her that part of her heart would always be mine, but after I died I realized that part of her heart still belonged to you."_

"_What?" Seiya asked a little concerned about what he was saying._

"_She fell for you while I was studying in America…"_

"_And whose fault is that?" He accused._

"_Mine, I left her alone never concerned about her, planning on enjoying myself."_

"_I would have never left and you know that if it was her opportunity, she wouldn't have left either."_

"_I know but when I died I had to decide on a person who my power would go to. I chose you."_

"_What!"_

"_Your power will be activated when she realizes that she loves you."_

"_Say what?" He asked again._

"_It won't be long until Mercury finds out. Pluto told me a long time ago of my death and I was prepared. Unlike you and the others, I knew I would die, but you, you are all eternal. She will need you the rest of eternity, Seiya. I know that I can trust you, I know that you loved her and still love her more that anything else on this planet. And most of all I know she needs you. Be there." He threatened._

He sat up in his bed startled. His breath was heaving and his pulse was racing. He pulled the sheets back and jumped out of the bed. He stared at it confused about what had happened. But there was no doubt in his mind that it hadn't been real. He had know the instant earth had crumbled, he had felt a power surge of an amazing amount of power rushed through his body, but he hadn't know what it was until they showed up and Venus told them all. Then he understood; then he knew. He showered changed then walked out the door.

"Seiya it's only been three hours, why are you up?" Serenity asked coming up behind him, she was actually going to check up on him.

"I had a weird dream." He told her turning around. "I mean really weird Odango. It was like so real and then it was gone, poof!" He said demonstrating with his hands.

"I've had those." She said smiling. "And then you wake up sweating and shaking your pulse racing. I'm going to council, would you like to come?" She asked hope in her eyes. She saw him sway and plowed forward. "Minako usually sits by my side, I would like for you to replace her today. Please Seiya?" She begged grabbing onto his sleeve.

"Of course, Odango." She smiled brightly and hugged him.

"Thank you, thank you." She said before dragging him off. "You may want to transform." She told him then looked back to see Fighter already standing there. "Okay, Good." She said smiling. They walked into the magnificent hall and she took the seat with the mark of Venus.

"Bring them in." she told the guard standing sentry. Seiya looked to see that she was sitting by Mars on and on the other side were Mercury and Jupiter. She looked over to Serenity to see that she had her face set in a cold manner and held her staff straight beside her. She watched with cold eyes as two couples came in followed by a small child. The little girl had big brown eyes with curly brown hair, she was clutching a little brown bear. "State your case." She said softly.

"Your majesty," one said stepping forward. "On the way to the moon our child went missing, for the last two years we have been searching and we found her, living with this family. They found her and kept her and they say that she is theirs."

"Are you sure she is the one you are looking for?" She asked.

"Come here, Kei," The man said. Seiya watched as the little girl walked to them. He noted that the other couple remained silent and were gripping hands. "See this mark, she has had it since birth. And see we have her birth certificate."

"What are your names?"

"Douglas and Alexandria."

"And you?" Fighter asked speaking for the first time.

"Rose and Grayson." The tall man said speaking. Fighter looked to the girl who looked scared and confused.

"Hey." She said smiling, the girl smiled back. "Will you come here?" The child walked forward slowly going to Fighter's outstretched hand. The child came to her and then Fighter patted her lap and the child climbed up and nestled on the girl's shoulder. Mercury stood and walked over to the little girl. Amazingly they had had cases like this before.

"Hello, I need you to touch my computer screen right here." She said kneeling in front of the girl, she smiled and touched the screen and instantly her baby picture came up along with the birth certificate. Mars walked down form her chair and got the birth certificate from the couple.

"It's fake." She said. Every certificate that was true would glow when touched by a senshi.

"Mother, one Rose McKinnin, Father one Grayson McKinnin. Name Willow May McKinnin." Mercury announced reading it off the computer."

"Does that sound right, Willow?" Fighter asked the little girl. She nodded and Fighter realized that she was scared of what the other couple would do. "They won't be able to hurt you or your family." She said. The little girl jumped off her lap and ran to her parents who were full of thanks then they were dismissed, but the other couple stood not worried, they had heard the queen was gentle and had no spine.

"You came in my presence, lied to me and my senshi, that alone is punishable by death." She watched as they paled. "Not only that but you tried to ruin a child's life, why?" She asked.

"She was beautiful and we always wanted a child, we thought we could get one this way." The man spoke up. He seemed to be at a loss for any words to really fight for his defense.

"The only way you deserve a child is to make one of your own, and that is what you will have taken away." Fighter looked over seeing that her staff was starting to glow.

"Serenity, may I speak with you." Serenity looked to Fighter.

"Of course." She said turning her body so they could talk in whispers.

"Isn't that a little harsh?" She asked. She looked into Serenity's eyes, "Won't that push them to just take another since they can't make their own?"

"..." She glanced at Fighter, she knew it was a good idea to have her here, though if it really was a bad idea one of her own senshi would have stopped her. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, make them work it off." She said.

"Where?" Serenity asked but she already had a good idea.

"What about a shelter for homeless kids?"

"We don't have homeless kids, if some one doesn't take them in, we do, here. What about the shelter at the palace here for troubled kids and they can be in charge of the orphaned kids here. With supervision of course."

"You read my thoughts." Fighter said smiling.

"Change in plans. You will work for me." She said as she looked back at the couple. "Here at the palace we take in orphaned and troubled kids. You will work for me there. Where you wanted 1 child you now have 56 in your care. Anything happens to any of them, a paper cut even, you will be punished. You will do this for 10 years. And you will be under a microscope, those are our kids," she said encompassing her senshi, "Also you will not be able to leave Quadrant II until I say." Her staff glowed washing over them with the crystal's light. "Good luck. Dismissed, Jupiter."

"I will show them where to go." She walked over to them and smiled, "you are lucky Star Fighter was here. I wouldn't have stopped her."

The rest of the week proceeded like so but only Seiya had no more visits form Mamoru and now it was almost time for the second wedding. Seiya spent time with Serenity before and after the council, she listened to his advice and he was so amazed that he hardly ever had to give it. She was kind and gentle, until it came to messing with kids. They both discovered that the people they had known were still there just buried a little bit. He enjoyed spending time with her and she was likewise.

Getting ready for the other wedding the colors were blue and lavender a starling good combination. Serenity was once again the maid of honor and was given an amazing gown. Seiya was waiting at the isle with Kaykuu once again when Serenity once again came forward. The gown that Ami had picked was blue and identical to the one that Minako had chosen, he had to laugh at the similar taste they had with opposite personalities. Her hair was done the same way as before. The gowns on the others were just as stunning.

"How's Ami?" He asked.

"Amazingly calm. And Taiki?"

"Calm also." He said smiling. "There's the music, time to go." He said smiling as the door opened. He walked down with Kaykuu followed, Minako and Yaten, then all the others, but this time Haruka couldn't get away with not wearing a dress. Then Serenity stood standing by Ami she looked at her and smiled.

"This is forever." Ami said, "I will love him forever." She said with conviction.

"Forever." Serenity agreed, and then gave her friend away.

The party was once again afterwards and everyone danced and danced and had fun once again. Serenity danced with Ellios and they talked about many things most just chatter.

"I am glad to see you happy again, Serenity."

"Thank you, I am happy to be happy."

"So what made you happy?" Ellios asked though already knowing the answer.

"I don't know." She said as the music stopped.

"Think about it." He said before going off to greet the couple. She looked over to see Seiya dancing with Ami. They looked stunning together, she thought, and graceful, she thought again. She wanted to go over there and rip Seiya out of her arms. Her eyes squinted in anger as she saw him throw his head back and laugh.

"I'm getting an evil glare." Ami said to the still laughing Seiya.

"Don't worry she wont hurt ya." He told her. "It was a wonderful dance, you make him happy, keep it that way." He said as they stopped and Taiki came forward to get her.

"My turn." He said sweeping his wife off. Seiya laughed and walked over to Serenity who was leaning against the wall pouting.

"Ah," he said, touching Serenity's lips, "No frowning, happy day." He said smiling.

"Do you like Ami?"

"Yeah, good friend smart too." Seiya said avoiding the question on purpose.

"No I mean like like."

"No, a friend." He confirmed… she was jealous.

"Can we talk outside?" She asked taking his hand and leading him to a doorway and down the hall.

"Sure." He said as she drug him along.

"You leave tomorrow right?"

"Yeah you knew that," He said blinking at her.

"Stay a week be on the council with me."

"I can't I have to go." He told her.

"I need you, please?" She asked.

"You don't need me Odango." He said, "You have your senshi."

"But I want you." She told him. She wanted to whine like a child, to beg and plead, for some reason she needed him here.

"You want me?" He asked a little amazed. He leaned down and gave a kiss on the cheek. "That's sweet…"

"Not sweet, real." She said. "I really need you."

"Listen Odango…"He stopped as she flung himself in his arms and hugged him. "Shhh." He whispered as he heard her start to cry and he laid a gentle kiss on her head. "Calm down." He said gently.

"But you're leaving." She whispered.

"I have to."

"No, you want to." She whispered.

"No I want…"

"Do what you want." She said pulling away and looking at him. He leaned down and for some reason laid a gentle kiss on her lips, he tasted her salty tears and even more her want for him. She twinned her arms around him and made him deepen the kiss. She pulled away and asked quietly, "is that what you wanted?" She asked.

"Yes, we need to go back." He said and walked back to the party Serenity beside him talking to him like she was 16 trying to keep him to stay.

00-00-00-00

He retired early this time and then woke up early, decided to take a walk around the gardens. He saw a man on scaffolding working on a hole in the crystal. _Not good day to do it_, he thought, too much wind. The moon had developed a weather system of its own much like the earth's but could be much more violent at times. In the two years the weather changed from being controlled to controlling, had a little bit of everything, but no oceans, they had lots of lakes though. He watched in horror as the strong wind blew the man off the scaffolding, he caught the man and set him down, turned to ask if he was all right and watched as the man's eyes widened he turned to see that the heavy metal was falling. He pushed the other man with all his might, pushing him out of the way, but he didn't make it that far.

00-00-00-00

"Serenity! Serenity! Wake up! It's Seiya!" She sat up in bed the minute she heard his name. She ran to the door, tearing it opened, only to see Venus standing there. "He's hurt." Serenity grabbed a dress slipped it on and rushed out of the room not grabbing her crown or doing her hair. Her staff drug on the floor as she ran to the hospital. She skidded to a stop when she saw the others standing out in the hall. Kaykuu rushed forward grabbing Serenity in a hug.

"What happened?" She asked holding Kaykuu.

"Heavy scaffolding fell on him." She told him, "But he saved this man." She said pulling a way and waving her hand in the general direction of the man. "Mercury and Taiki are with him now. Would you like to go in?" Serenity nodded and Kaykuu opened the door then shut it behind her.

00-00-00-00

"_So you're back?" Mamoru said seeing Seiya sitting on the balcony edge._

"_Yep, in a coma I guess." He said not really worried._

"_Don't worry she'll pull you out." Mamoru said._

"_I thought I was in the land of the lost?" Seiya questioned._

"_Illusion is the land of the lost." He told the other man. "How is she?" Mamoru asked._

"_Good, I think she realized that she loves me." He told him then wanted to take back the words._

"_No not yet, or else you wouldn't be here, but maybe this is what she needs to realize she loves you." Mamoru said._

"_Are you okay with that?" Seiya asked._

"_I couldn't have lived forever and well, Serenity can't handle things alone." He told him._

"_She begged me to stay last night."_

"_I know. I heard. Understand this, Seiya, a little corner of her heart will always belong to me, but the rest is now yours, and you'd better take care of it."_

00-00-00-00

"Seiya?" Serenity whispered looking at him watching him carefully. She watched his pale eyes and wished for them to flutter. "Seiya, I want you to stay remember." She whispered. Ami and Taiki slipped out of the room figuring that it would be best that they were alone. "Seiya, I want you to stay," then it all became so clear, "I love you Seiya." The word echoed through her whole being, her whole heart. "You can't leave, I love you." Crystalline tears started to run down her face.

00-00-00-00

"_What's happening, Mamoru-san?" Seiya asked as his body started to glow. _

"_She realized it, that she loves you." He clarified. _

"_It burns, it hurts." He said looking down at his body._

"_It will pass. Don't worry."_

"I love you Seiya, You can't leave, I love you." He heard her words and then the golden flame erupted around him eating him alive. The power flowed through his body consuming it and then all he felt was bliss.

"_You have control over the power now. Don't worry it will manifest itself in a crystal and it will come to you in the form of a staff, carry that with you always and always take good care of her or I will come back and kill you myself." He threatened._

00-00-00-00

She jumped as she heard him scream and then she saw as a golden flame erupted around him, almost looking like he was burning alive then it calmed down and she heard the voice that she had know and loved.

"…Take good care of her or I will come back and kill you myself." The others rushed in and heard the threat but already they had been slightly glowing incandescent and signs flashing on their foreheads; they looked at each other in shock. Ami understood first.

"He has the king's power, the threat made us glow." She said in awe. The watched as the flame formed in front of his body gathering over his heart and the stretching down. Then it turned to pure gold and a crystal formed in a perfect circle and was placed in a golden bursting star. He reached up grabbed the staff and then his eyes fluttered open.

"Thanks Mamoru-san." He whispered. Then he looked over to the faces of all his concerned friends. "Wow that was a blast. Can I do it again?" He looked over to Serenity who was staring at him.

"Never do that again. You scared me to death." She yelled at him, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ouch, thanks, I love you too," he said then turned serious, "I heard you and I love you too."

"Well good." She said then flung herself into his arms. "Does this mean you'll stay?"

"Yeah," He said looking to Kaykuu. She nodded tears filling her eyes.

"Of course Fighter, I have millions of stars to find Senshi from." She said smiling.

"I love you" Serenity said grabbing his face, "I am truly lucky to have found you again." She said smiling.

"I know I love you too. And this is for eternity." He said kissing her.

And she knew that it truly was.

00-00-00-00

And another story is done, hope you all liked it,

Thanks for reading!

Cat


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